Dark Duo
by Naga's Shadow
Summary: Set after Birthmark. Robin's got Slade on the mind again. But when he gets himself captured who else does he run into? [Completed]
1. Chapter 1

Dark Duo April 23, 2005 "Naga's Shadow"

'Knock, knock, knock' "Robin are you there?" Starfire asked as she floated outside the leader of the teen titan's door. There was no response but she thought she heard a rustling inside.

"Robin you haven't come out of your room today and your dinner is getting cold, correction was getting cold two hours ago." No response.

"I will assume you are ok but you really need to come eat something and if you do not at least tell me why I will be forced to have Cyborg or Raven open this door for me."

"It's open Star." A voice called from inside.

Starfire hit the open button on the side of the wall and the door slid open quietly. Robin's room was dark aside from a light in a little back area that doubled as a workshop. Starfire rounded the corner to find Robin busy at a sewing machine putting together pieces of a costume, a familiar costume.

"Robin you promised me you would drop the Red X routine."

"Look this is different."

"How I once again see you preparing to become a villain and not telling your friends about it."

"Look it's not like that at all really."

"Humph." Starfire turned around and prepared to leave.

"Starfire, I was going to tell you all at dinner but I wanted to finish this suit first, and well I suck with a sewing machine." Robin pointed to a pile of wasted black and red colored cloth.

"You could have told us before you started on this latest project of yours."

"Sorry Star, I only found out about this today."

"What is this?"

"Look if you give me half an hour, no make that twenty minutes and I'll be done then, I'll explain everything to everyone."

"Do you promise."

"I promise."

"Ok, I trust you, but do not make me come up here and drag you down."

Starfire turned and left. Robin turned back to his project; the suit was complete save for the piece of the mask he was working on now. The Red X he had thrown together today was simple compared to the original. He remembered the original Red X, the suit, the utility belt. Well he still had the utility belt but with out the xanopiom to power the systems the belt was pretty worthless, and it wasn't worth the risk. No this Red X was just a clever ruse not the ruthless villain he had created. He realized that creating the personality Red X was a mistake. He understood that masquerading, as a thief to gain favor with Slade had been foolish and wrong, especially since he didn't tell his friends, he was forced to fight them. He won, Red X had been built to undermine their strengths but that had made it no better. He had truly been sorry for what he had done but he still hadn't destroyed the suit.

Now his creation was out there somewhere. He had the utility belt sure but the suit was still dangerous. Yet now he was planning to do it again. True he was going to tell his teammates, there would be no subterfuge this time, at least not against them. Would they help him after what he'd done would they be willing to walk that road again? He could only hope so because he knew this lead was golden he had to take the risk, with or without their help. Robin finished the final stitch and regarded his creation. This Red X would have no special powers or any new gadgets; he was going to disguises one of his utility belts and bring it with him. Checking his watch he noticed that twenty-two minutes had passed since Starfire had left.

Robin took the central elevator to the common room, as he exited he noticed Cyborg and Beastboy were watching TV. Raven was reading a book and Starfire was sitting on the couch watching the clock.

"Good you showed up, was starting to wonder."

"Have you ever known me to break a promise Star?"

Robin walked over to the kitchen and checked in the fridge, his dinner was wrapped in cellophane and very close to frozen. No matter that's what microwaves are for.

"Robin." Starfire had walked up next to him and no one else could here her. "I expect you to tell us what you are doing."

"I will I just would like to eat something first, if that alright with you." Robin put his dinner into the microwave and turned the device on.

"Ok."

Robin paced as he waited for his meal to regain some of its warmth. Was trying the same trick twice really a good idea, yes he was endangering no one but himself and the benefits outweighed the risks. A loud beep brought him back to reality, his meal was done, he took it out and smelled it. Ok, well maybe not done but warm enough for him to eat.

"Everyone could you please come up to the meeting room in five minutes?"

A chorus of affirmatives and groans answered him. Robin took his plate with him sampling some of the food as he walked, first he had to go back to his room and get the stuff.


	2. Chapter 2

When Robin reached the meeting room Starfire was already there. Robin placed his box of mission related equipment and information at the head of the table and sat to finish his dinner, after not eating all day he was ravenous. Beastboy insisted to finish to movies they had been watching and was several minutes late, Robin didn't mind it gave him a few minutes to finish eating and finalize what exactly was going to say.

"So what's the big important case that couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?" Cyborg asked as he plopped himself in the chair closest to the door.

Robin pressed a switch on the table bringing up the projector. The screen now showed a warehouse near the docks, the street name was in the corner.

"I got this information this morning. Tomorrow night there will be an auction here." Robin switched slides to a display of stacked weapons, some of them military all of them illegal.

"The police don't have the names of the bidders or of the sellers, they've asked for our help."

"So what do we do storm the place and capture everyone, this could have waited until tomorrow Robin."

"Well not exactly Cyborg, like I said before we need more proof before heading in, we need a spy." Robin reached into the box and pulled out the Red X suit he had made. There was a collective intake of breath from the table, except Starfire.

"You told us you only made one of those suits, and it was stolen."

"I didn't lie Raven, that was the only one. This is just a simple disguise."

"If we need a disguise I can just use my holographic cloaking device and go in."

"Cyborg's right, why do you need to use Red X again?" Beastboy asked.

"Because they might jam electronic devices we need to sneak in low tech, and the invitation that was intercepted was to Red X."

"I don't like it, what would that self proposed thief want at an arms sale?"

"I did take his utility belt Raven. Anyway its to good a chance to pass up, we cant let him get away."

The titans looked at each other, as far a Robin was concerned there was only one him.

"This is about Slade isn't it Robin?" Starfire finally asked.

"He could be there yes."

"I think it's a really bad idea now, it's practically an invitation to you Robin."

"What do say we do Raven, just let them sell weapons." Robin stood up and slammed his fists on the table. "We have to act or else we may never get another chance."

"Robin just think about it, it's probably a trap." Cyborg said standing up as well.

"I've gone over the information, you haven't and, your right it still may be a trap." Robin sat down. "But we still have to do this, there's no other way."

"We can wait out side and ambush them as the buyers leave, but there's no way I'm going to endorse your going in vulnerable."

"I'm with Cyborg, Robin this is a bad idea." Raven said also standing up.

"If you guys wont listen to reason then I will just give orders instead!" Robin was back on his feet. He picked up the box of mission related items and started for the door. "I am ordering you to follow me lead on this one."

Cyborg and Raven moved to block the door.

"Robin."

"Get out of my way Cyborg."

"No, Robin you're not thinking straight."

"As the two second in command of the teen titans we are countermanding that order Robin, it's to risky." Raven finished.

"That's not for you to decide no out of my way!"

"Give me the box."

"What."

"Give me the box and I'll let you pass Robin." Cyborg repeated.

Robin threw the box to the ground and elbowed his way past Cyborg. As he left he mumbled you'll regret that under his breath.

As the door closed behind him the remaining titans regarded Cyborg and Raven with shock.

"I have never seen friend Robin act like that before."

"Yeah you have Star." Cyborg looked into the box. "We all have."

Robin closed and locked the door to his room. How dare they he thought, had they spent their whole day reading over the documents, confirming them with the titan's database? Of course not, they had no idea what was going on. But they still tried to stop him; he was the leader for a reason how dare they try to undermine him. They'd pay, but not know, know he had to figure out what do about Slade and the arms sellers. Didn't they know that he knew it was dangerous? Of course he knew it was risky, but it was worth the risk. That was why he was only risking himself. There was no way he could send Beastboy or Cyborg undercover, they could get caught. If anyone got hurt because of his bad info it would be him. But now Cyborg had his Suit he'd have to make another one. Robin's fuming was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Robin, its me." Starfire called out as she knocked on the door.

"Please talk to me Robin." Starfire tried the door but it was locked this time.

"Robin, I know your upset but know you can always talk to me."

Robin ignored her and soon she went away. He checked a clock, it was eleven fifteen, he had better get started if he was to salvage this mission.

Cyborg woke up in a cold sweat. His sleep was usually peace full but his dreams all night had been filled with images of him fighting Red X and Robin and then Robin as Slade's apprentice. Some of the images he remembered but others, others he must have made up, omen of things to come?

Starfire was downstairs by the time Cyborg made it to the kitchen. She was drinking some of Raven's herbal tea, and she looked like she had been crying.

"I was outside of Robin's door for almost an hour. He didn't say anything. What's wrong with friend Robin."

"Robin tends to obsess about things form time to time, especially with Slade, but I have a hunch it's his fault." Cyborg started to make some coffee.

"When you finish come see me in the Med-lab, I have a hunch that I hope will pan out."

"What friend Cyborg?"

"Do you remember when Robin was exposed to that reagent in Slade's mask?"

"Yes I see were you're going, I will be there."

Cyborg turned to leave.

"What about your coffee?"

"It will be ready by the time I get back."

Cyborg headed up to the Med-lab to check on the scan of everything in the box Robin had left behind. The total job was 97 complete; the computer said it needed another twenty minutes to give a final analysis. Cyborg sighed and went back down stairs.

Now Raven and Beastboy were here.

"Is it down Cyborg?"

"What?"

"The scan, is it done?" Starfire asked again.

"No twenty minutes."

"Very well." Starfire found a seat; she had been pacing before hand.

"What scan?" Beastboy asked.

Cyborg poured himself a cup of coffee, still a little weak but it would do, Cyborg took his coffee black.

"Last night I had the computer in the Med-lab scan that box Robin was carrying around for any traces of a reagent, like the one Slade used before."

"Which would explain Robin's behavior." Raven finished, Cyborg had told her last night.

"What if there is none of this reagent?"

"Well it would mean either we are jumping at shadows, or Robin has gone off the deep end Star."

"I am not the only one hoping to find this reagent then, yes?"

The silence was all the answer Starfire needed.

All of the titans went up to the Med-lab to check on the results of Cyborg's testing.

"Well what does it say?" Beastboy asked impatiently.

"It says," Cyborg scanned through the printout. "It says that the invitation was covered in the same type of chemical that Robin found in that mask."

"So you are right then?"

"Yeah Starfire, I was right." Cyborg didn't sound very happy. "It says the stuff should wear off after forty-eight hours. We only need to keep him from doing anything rash until tomorrow and he should return to normal."

"Lets go tell him the good news then, shall we?"

"You know he wont take it well Raven."

"Yeah I know we might have to hold him down to tell him, like last time."

The titans nodded in agreement as they walked towards Robin's room. Hallway security cameras showed Robin had not left all night, and when they tried the door it was locked.

"Robin, we need to talk." Starfire received to answer.

"Robin, your not yourself, but it's not your fault, come outside so we can talk." Again nothing. Each of the titans tried to say something but they might as well be talking to a wall.

"This isn't working stand aside I'll knock the door in." Beastboy took a step back and prepared to charge.

"Not so fast Beastboy, there are less disruptive ways to get in." Cyborg reached over to the control panel and typed something in. "Raven I'll need your override code too."

"Right." Raven also typed in a code and the door opened.

Robin's room was empty, his bed was still made and the window was open. A note was all they could find of the titan's leader.

"Titans," Starfire read. "I don't know why you no longer trust me on this issue but I am right. I expect you to be at the warehouse half an hour after the auction starts. We can talk about this more after we've gotten him. Robin."

Cyborg cursed he should have locked down the tower last night, then they would have know when Robin left. "We have to find him, if he tries to go up against Slade in an obvious trap with no rest or food." His voice trailed off but everyone knew the end of the sentence.

"Split up we'll search the city for Robin, and if we find nothing meet at his rendezvous location outside the warehouse at seven." Raven said.

"I'll take the T-car and search the streets, if Robin bought any equipment I should be able to track it." Cyborg headed towards the door.

"Beastboy and I will search the city by air."

"Right." Starfire and Beastboy headed out of the open window.

"Which leaves me to try to find him mentally." Raven finally said to an empty room.

Latter Robin, dressed as Red X, sat on a rooftop overlooking the warehouse district. He was sitting beneath an overhang that would prevent him from being spotted from above. He really did feel bad about leaving them out of the loop like this, but he knew he was right, he could just sense it. A deep grumbling told him he was also hungry, but he ignored it. In three hours the titans would bust up that weapons deal and Robin would have a chance to get Slade. It was very important that he not blow it, and leaving his vantage point for something as trivial as food would blow it.


	3. Chapter 3

Darkness, she had known darkness for so long now that she was beginning to forget what light was. Her name was Terra; she had been Slade's loyal servant. She had taken pride in her work, the destruction of the teen titans. She had failed, perhaps because after all had been said and done, she still saw herself as their friend. Only Beastboy still liked her, the others probably liked that she was here. Wherever here is, she had turned on and killed Slade but the damage was great and she acted selflessly to preserve the city. It had taken every last drop of her power to stop the eruption of the volcano. Now she stood, well she thought she stood. Terra had eyes but there was nothing to see, she could sense her hands, and move them around but felt neither air nor herself. She had never been so alone, she had tried to count, but despair had crept in and she had lost her place. All she could do was relive the memory of the past couple of days, her betrayal of her friends. Why had she done it, now she blamed Slade but deep down she knew that the fault lay within her. Slade was a master of manipulation, but one can only manipulate what is there to begin with. For the hundredth time she tried to cry but her non-existent body would not let her. Again for the hundredth time she wished for a way out of this prison of her mind, or even death as that must be better. She thought hundredth but had no idea, she had lost count so long ago and time didn't seem to pass in this place. Then she noticed the light, it was dim and very far away, but in her tomb of perfect darkness any light was welcome. Slowly the light brightened and got closer, until it was a searing point inches from her eyes, well she thought so at least. There was no way to mark distance here either. Terra focused on the light with all her strength, it could be her salvation. She promised again to herself that she would do anything to be free of this existence. Suddenly the point of light disappeared, there was nothing but darkness again. Terra looked for a second but nothing happened, the light was gone and with it any hope she had left. She imagined herself falling to her knees and sobbing, but it didn't relive any of the sorrow and despair she felt.

Then she felt a sharp pain and the point of light reappeared except this time spider web like cracks formed around the point and rapidly grew, the light and the pain became more intense, she felt like screaming but no sound came. Deep within her she knew this was good, whatever this was, pain tells you your alive she remembered a forgotten friend telling her. The cracks widened and the light became hot, very hot, and then the light shattered. Darkness returned but this time there was more, she could feel her heartbeat, the sound of blood as it rushed through her ears. She could feel something on her skin, and she could feel it flake off as she lost her center of balance. Terra fell forward, instinctively raising her arms to catch herself. She took a step forwards only to trip and stumble further. She hit the ground hard, her arms were not ready to catch her, she had prepared for a short fall but she had been standing on something. Rising to her knees Terra blinked, and blinked, as her eyes made tears she started to see the world around her. She was in a cavern, the same one she had been in before she guessed. The fact the carven still stood said she had stopped the volcanic eruption, that was good. Things swam back into focus, she could see her hands, still wearing the suit Slade had given her, she would have to find new clothes soon. But first she needed to stand up. Her legs were weak and her knees buckled in protest as she stood up, but she ignored their complaints and the pain that went with it. After a few tries she managed to stand and found her senses had returned to her. She was now facing the platform she had fallen off of.

Terra could tell because of the fragments of stone scattered around the platform, at its base a simple plaque read "Terra a Teen Titan, a True Friend" a memorial perhaps? The plaque was not new, she wondered how long shed been there incased in stone. A better question was how did she get out?

"I let you out of course." No that voice it couldn't be.

"But it is, turn around Terra."

Terra spun around to confront the man she knew she had killed.

"Slade." Was all she managed before her strength and her legs failed her and she was on the ground before him.

Slade towered over her, exactly the same as before, well not exactly he had a strange mark seemingly burnt into his mask.

"How?"

"How did I release you or how did I get here?"

"What are you doing alive, I…I killed you."

"Death didn't appeal to me so I left."

"You don't just decide to come back to life!" Terra screamed, she found the strength and stood back up. It didn't matter Slade was almost a foot taller than her and had a much wider build.

"Correction you can't decide to come back to life, I do as I please."

That's not possible she thought I must be dead.

"No you're very much alive."

"You can read my mind now?"

"Only when you're mad."

"Well read this!" Terra threw her hand forward and willed the ground beneath Slade's feet to collapse. Nothing happened.

"Oh you'll find you're abilities are quite gone."

"What did you do to me?"

"I did nothing, this was you're doing."

"My doing."

"Imagine a battery, when it is brand new it needs to charge to full before it can be used. After that it can be used and recharged as much as you want but if you deplete the charge you have to wait for it to re-charge to full again."

"My powers are gone?"

"For the moment."

"Will they come back?"

"Eventually I guess."

"You don't know?"

"Enough of this take my hand." Slade stretched out his had to meet Terra's

"No." Terra backed away.

"That wasn't a question that was a command, now take my hand!"

Terra could feel herself moving back towards him, it was the suit she wore it could still control her movements. She had beaten it before and she could do it again.

"NO!" She wrenched herself away from Slade and turned around as she prepared to run. One of his robots was standing right behind her, when had it moved in without her noticing it. It jabbed out with a pointed object of some sort, Terra tried to twist out of its way but she was to close.

As soon as the pronged device hit her electricity fired throughout her entire body causing pain and preventing her from moving. Terra sank to the ground still twitching, trying her best to stay awake. Slade stepped over her and picked up her now limp hand. She tried to fight him but her muscles were not listing to her.

"Why do you always have to do things the hard way?" Slade kicked her, his foot caught her in the temple and she saw only stars then only darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Robin checked his watch the invitation had said to show up at this time. He skillfully dropped form his perch on a balcony across the street and ran across the empty lot to the warehouse door. The guard asked for Robin's invite, but after he identified himself Red X was waved through. Robin was brought to a man he had never seen before. He was heavyset and looked close to sixty.

"Hello Red X, I am truly glad you were able to make it to our little party. He worried that our invitation had not reached you."

"It came latter than I like, but I found it."

"Very good, I suppose you wonder why I asked you to come to a weapons auction?"

"You could start there."

"Well I guess I am getting ahead of myself, my name is Franco Destuncy."

Robin cocked his head slightly.

"I know it's a rare name," Franco continued. "I am new to this city and I need to set up supply links with the underworld here. You are a master thief no?"

Robin just nodded.

"Well the people I represent would be most appreciative if you could keep yourself in a position were you could freelance for us from time to time."

"I see, and this auction."

"I invited you here so you could see us work and to assume you that we are trustworthy."

"There is no honor among thieves."

"Only not among the dead ones. We do things a little differently, if you help us we will certainly help you in return." Franco placed his hand on Robin's back and guided him into the center of the warehouse where men were setting up merchandise and the buyers were taking their seats.

"Please find a seat with the others, we will talk afterwards, who know you may find something you want." Franco smiled and walked over to great a man in a limo. This area of organized crime was beyond what he and the titans generally worked on. Then he saw them, Slade and two cloaked figures, probably robots, took seats near the front and waited for the bidding to start. Robin started to make his way to Slade; he would have the closest seat to his nemesis as possible. Checking his watch he hoped the other titans would stick to the plane he had outline, if they blew this so help him. Wait what was he saying they were his friends, when had he become so callous and uninterested in what others thought. He didn't like the way he was acting today not at all, but he pushed those thoughts aside, there would be plenty of time to analyze what was happening to him after he caught Slade. Robin took a seat two rows behind Slade and waited.

Starfire circled around the warehouse on last time before returning to the rooftop the titans were using as an onsite headquarters.

"Anything Star?"

"No, if Robin is there he entered before I checked." She told Cyborg.

"Nothing from my end either." Beastboy said as he transformed back into his human form.

"We have to assume that Robin got there early and is already inside." Raven added. "The question is should we move in now or wait the time Robin told us."

"I don't like the vibe of that place at all."

"Cyborg you are correct this place does not feel right." Starfire added.

"Beastboy any objections?"

"None."

"So we do this now. Titans…Go." Raven tried to imamate Robin but it just wasn't the same without him. The titans flew to the roof of the warehouse, Starfire carried Cyborg, and the group prepared to blast through an upper window.

It had taken Franco five or so minutes to introduce himself and several other guest of honor that Robin vaguely remembered from police reports. Slade was the only one he cared about now. The bidding was going to start on a set of assault weapons, like they were some sort of antiques. Then the glass in the northwest corner shattered, smoke started to pour in and figures jumped down into the building. Panic and chaos broke out as Franco's men turned and opened fire on the figures still in smoke. Robin almost broke character and cursed, what the hell were they doing here so early. He had told twenty-five minutes from now twice, at the meeting and in his note, yet they screw it up and attack now? Were they even thinking? Robin was pulled back to reality as he noticed Slade and his robots were heading to an interior room. Robin in his Red X costume gave case, pushing other people who tried to run. Robin burst into the room were several scared and wealthy looking people started to surround Robin, not looking for a fight but offering money in exchange for protection, he ignored them. Slade was in the back of the room, his back turned conferring with his robots, odd.

"Slade."

"Yes."

"We need to talk."

Slade turned around; he didn't move his neck just rotated 180 degrees.

"What about, Robin?"

"You got me mixed up with someone else." Robin took a step backwards.

"No, I'm sure it's you." This time the voice had come from behind him.

Robin turned around and jumped backward to dodge Slade's attack. He was to late; the masked fighter caught Robin in the shoulder spinning him around as the disguised hero backpedaled. All around him the people who had been asking for his help shimmered and changed. He was no longer in a room with Slade and a bunch of bystanders with mafia connections, but a room with Slade and his robots.

Men began to shoot as soon as they entered the building. Raven deflected most of it and the others lucky didn't hit anyone. These men didn't dive for cover they just kept shooting. Starfire and Cyborg just knocked one after another down while Raven ran interference and Beastboy stood by unable to enter that type of withering riffle fire.

"Something's not right." Cyborg said as he got close to one of the fallen men.

It was true the man's chest was smoking and sparking and then the man shimmered and changed into one of Slade's robots.

"They're all robots, with holographic disguises." He shouted over the dim.

"Cover now!" Raven yelled as her shield collapsed.

At that all of the people in the building stopped and turned towards the titans, like a nest of pretenders knowing their cover was blow every person in the crowded warehouse shimmered and revealed there true selves. The titans backed away to a corner and found cover among the boxes as the small army or robotic killers drew weapons and began to advance firing.

Robin dodged to the left and lashed out, his foot taking the head off yet another one of Slade's robots. It didn't matter for every one that he felled another two waited outside the circle for its chance to fight. Not to mention Slade and his robotic look-alike. They were on opposite sides of him each one just standing there waiting. They only way he could tell the difference now was that the real one had a strange emblem burnt into his mask, Raven hadn't told him what it meant.

"What do you want Slade." Robin threw a pair of exploding discs from his utility belt destroying another robot. This time Slade stepped forward rather than one of his toys.

"Why you of course." He moved into a fighting stance.

"Would I have really gone through all of this, the invitation, the drug to make you distrust your friends, for anyone else?" His voice was mocking. "This is all for you Robin."

Every time Robin blocked one of Slade's attacks a robot took the chance to strike him. Robin might only just be realizing that he'd been duped but he did know his limits. Suddenly Slade launched a vicious attack, flames dancing off his fingertips, robin flips over backwards but got a kick to the legs by some robot. He managed to land on his feet right into the fake Slade. Robin pushed away, fast but not fast enough, a cattle prod jabbed him right in the ribs, electricity flowed through his body carving lines of pure pain through every nerve. If his lungs and throat had been working he would have screamed, instead he just collapsed to the ground. In the distance he could hear laughter and he saw out of the corner of his eye, his head didn't seem to want to work, Slade his hands outstretched and a ball of fire floating between them. That's not fair Robin thought, then the flames were on him and pain overtook reasoning again. Funny death by fire should hurt more he thought as the whole world went red and then black.

From behind their makeshift barricade the titans threw everything they had at the robots yet still they came. Every time Cyborg or Starfire popped their heads above the boxes several machines broke, but that was not enough. Beastboy was unable to help so he spent the time moving more crates forward, bolstering their cover. Raven was chanting, not her normal spell that she used to levitate things but a longer and probably much more powerful spell.

"Raven if you're going to do something awesome you'd better do it soon." Beastboy yelled over the noise. The robots were getting close enough to jump over the boxes and where starting to charge.

"Get down." The titans heard mentally and complied. Raven unleashed a massive burst of dark energy that sliced out in all directions cutting through the boxes the robots and even parts of the building at waist level. Many robots exploded clouding the air with the smell of sulfur and ash.

"Everyone alright?" Cyborg asked as he picked a box off of Starfire.

"Robin." She called out flying higher to see the whole room.

"Storage room 'cough' saw him go in." Beastboy said.

Ignoring the others Starfire flew to the door and without trying kicked it in. Inside she found more robots. They seamed to have been turned off and then burnt, but no Robin.

"Robin!" Starfire collapsed.

"Where have you gone?"


	5. Chapter 5

Terra blinked her eyes and slowly set up. She was in a beacon of light surrounded by darkness. She slowly stood up, her legs didn't want to but she willed them to. No this place wasn't nearly as mystical as it first looked. She was in a square room; she couldn't tell dimensions from were she stood. A light was inset into the ceiling in the center. The light only illuminated a small part in the center. The rest of the room was shadows, and the corners darkness. Terra walked towards the closest wall looking for any sign of how she got in.

"Good your awake."

Terra spun around, Slade was standing in the light.

"How did you…"

"How I do what I do is none of your concern child." He threw something at her, she instinctively dodged it, and the bundle landed on the ground.

"Maybe I should say catch next time." His tone suggested mirth but his stance did not.

Terra picked up the bundle there were two one piece jump suits.

"The one that most resembles what you wear now is for you."

"I don't want it." She dropped them back to the floor.

"Oh you will because you and your new roommate will not be leaving this room until you put them on."

"Roommate?"

"Oh he will be joining you shortly. If you want any privacy while changing I suggest you hurry."

"Wait what…" at that Slade diapered in a plume of fire.

"…do you mean by roommate, for that matter how do you do that?" Terra finished her question to the air. The suit that Slade had given her earlier; time must have passed but it seamed like less than a week to her. The suit was torn in several places burnt in some and was just dirty all over. She took the other, new, suit and unfolded it. It was the same design but it had a cowl and a mask similar to Slade's. She sighed then picked up her new suit and walked to the corner. Privacy my ass, he probably was recording everything; still this area was dark right? Striping out of the old suit she donned the new one. It was skin tight like the last one, but this one was much more comfortable and seamed to flow over her skin. Bulk around her forearms indicated some sort of device was hidden there but she could not figure out how to work it.

"Slade." She called out, he probably just left the room to watch from some screen, pervert.

"I did it let me out of here." No response. She went back to searching the room for any sign of a door but a gurgling and rumbling told her there were more pressing matters. She hadn't eaten anything that fateful day after they took the city, the day the titans had beaten her the day she had turned on Slade, the day she thought was the end. She knew that that day and many more had passed but her stomach new she hadn't eaten or drunken anything in the last 24 hours. Nor had she used the bathroom. The human body can lasts weeks without food, days without water, but she knew that at this rate she couldn't hold it in more that an hour. She decided to wait rather than find a nice corner. She sat down and started to think out loud.

"Common Terra you can do it, just don't think about water."

"Did you find anything Star?" Cyborg asked the red headed princes as he dug threw the pile of scrapes that had been robots, looking for any clue to Robin's location.

"No, I could not see anything from above."

"Don't worry well find him." Cyborg flipped on his com. "Beastboy, anything down bellow?"

"Nada, I'm going to widen my search."

"Ok, got it."

A black shadow appeared on the ground before them and Raven rose up to her normal height.

"I'm at a loss, Cyborg, Starfire, any ideas?"

"I don't think there's any evidence here anymore. I think we should go back to the tower and regroup."

"I will not give up."

"I'm not talking about giving up, I won't either, but we need to find a lead and the invitations as good as any right now."

"Cyborgs right, we aren't going to get any where like this, Slade must have teleported or something." Raven said.

"Very well." Starfire sat down amide the ruble.

"I'll alert BB, Star are you coming?"

"Yes in a minute."

Cyborg looked like he was going to protest but Raven ushered him from the ruined building.

"Robin where ever you are, please don't die." Starfire chocked back a tear before finally getting up and flying after the others.

Terra glanced up as Slade repapered in a plume of fire. It was to dark to see who but Slade had at least one other person with him.

"Good you haven't fallen asleep." Slade's associate dropped something on the floor, no someone. "Terra meet your new roommate and partner, he should wake up soon. Remember no food or any contact from me until he gets dressed."

"Wait," but Slade was gone in another flash of fire, how did he do that. Terra walked over to were the figure was and dragged the unconscious youth into the light. He was roughly her height but she had no idea who he was. Dressed in black he had a large red X on his mask. The sit was burnt in several places and further damaged by fire and smoke. Terra decided to keep her new roommate's identity a secret and instead bundled the other uniform she had been given into a makeshift pillow and placed it beneath his head. Terra set back against the wall and waited, she had no idea how long he would sleep. Please wake up soon, she thought, she really had to go.

Robin was surrounded by darkness, just floating in it. Hazy shapes that he should have remembered seemed distant to him. Slade's mocking voice cut through the pain that he found himself in. Robin struck out at a figure, it had to be Slade, but as it fell to the ground Robin could see that it was Starfire. Robin stopped and just hung there in this pseudo space trying to grasp what was going on. Was he dead? No he had had delusions like this before, he was just unconscious, he hoped. What had happened, right Slade. He had fought Slade, but why. Because he had been tricked, the awful truth slowly dawned on him. His friends had been right the whole thing had been an elaborate set up and he had fallen for it. While the pain was disappearing Robin felt a whole lot worse.

This had been his fault no one else's, just him. Slade had won yet again. Robin wanted to hang in this dark place and brood on his failings but light slowly brightened and he moaned.


	6. Chapter 6

Terra set up and looked over at the masked figure; he was starting to come around. Good she thought the sooner he wakes up the sooner we can leave this place. There was something see was forgetting though, something about that figure. Terra knew she had seen that costume before but couldn't place it. She dismissed the thought, if it's important it will come back.

Robin's eyes fluttered open and then closed again. The light was far too bright. Robin squinted against the light, where was he? Slowly sitting up Robin looked around; the overhead light was so bright and so focused that it blinded him to the rest of the room.

"Hi." A voice from the corner called.

Robin spun around quickly and immediately regretted it. He stared down at the floor until his head stopped spinning.

"You don't really look so good you should take it easy." That voice it was familiar but from where? Robin focused on the corner where the speaker was, she was outlined in the dark but Robin couldn't make out any features.

"I don't think we've met my name is Terra." Robin gasped and scrambled backward, as Terra stepped into view. Terra not being able to see this strangers face stopped advancing and knelt down, the way someone calls to a frightened animal.

"I won't hurt you but I need you to put on that." She pointed to the bundle of clothing that Robin had been using as a pillow for the past half an hour.

"Terra, what are you doing here?" Robin demanded finally regaining his voice and his feet.

Now Terra took a step back as she recognized his voice.

"Robin is that you?"

"How did you get free and why are you back with Slade." Robin circled her warily obviously believing she was a threat.

"So I guess it is you Robin." Terra let him watch her; she was wearing a new suit so he had every right to think the worse. "Slade freed me and brought me here, he wants you to put that suit on."

"Never." Robin stopped circling her but eyed her still watched her warily.

"If you don't Slade said he'd would just keep us here."

"Why should I even trust you?"

"Robin, I need to know, Slade never told me. How long was I like that? Weeks, months." Robin stopped and looked at her.

"Why does it matter to you, you haven't changed at all."

"I was aware of every moment of it trapped in my own dark world."

Robin just looked at her.

"Please tell me."

"Just over two years."

"So long, I been alone for so long, I know you don't care but I'm sorry Robin." Robin didn't respond.

"For everything."

"Yet here you are again in his service, you could have fought him." Terra pulled back as if slapped, Robin's words had cut her deep.

"I tried, I simply can't."

"You started a volcano and yet you're powerless against Slade." Robin laughed; it was not a kind laugh.

"My powers there gone, I can't do anything now." Terra set down on the floor she started to cry. It was a bad, no worse than the many nightmares she'd had. Not only would Robin never forgiver her he felt the need to punish her and revel in it, he hated her. She wouldn't have blamed him either, but two years. She had been frozen in time for two years and he had not made peace yet.

"Terra." She looked up at the disguised hero. "Look, Terra I'm sorry for yelling and just being an ass. I just have a lot on my mind now."

"Will you change into that suit?"

"No. Slade will have to force me to do anything for him."

"Please Robin? If you go to the opposite corner I can't see you change."

"Why do you want me to put that on?"

"Because Slade promised me, promised us food and other things needed to survive if you got dressed."

"I can go without food for awhile." Deep down he knew he couldn't, he had skipped a meal all day today and had eaten very little the day before.

"But I can't, I haven't had anything to eat or drink in almost three days." She didn't mention that she hadn't used a bathroom in two days. "Well I guess it's technically longer."

At this point an idea came to Robin, why a powerless Terra was here, if it was really her and not just another robot in a holographic disguise. She was here so that I will do whatever he says, or he would torture the weaker one.

"Fine." Robin picked up the bundle and walked to the corner. Terra turned around, and after Robin checked to see she wasn't looking he changed into the new suit that was for him. Not surprisingly it was a perfect fit. The suit had a mask but Robin didn't want to wear something by Slade if he could help it. But he didn't want to reveal his face to Terra, if that was her. Robin grudgingly pulled the mask over his head and turned back to Terra.

"There, now what?"

"Now, you can begin." Slade's mocking voice was echoed through the room. Terra searched vainly for the source but Robin decided to address the light.

"What do you want with me Slade?"

"Oh Robin it's always about you isn't it." A door seamlessly, and silently slide open behind Robin.

"Behind you is your new room, you two will stay there until I say so."

"No, not until you tell me what's going on."

Terra slowly got up and went to the door.

"Don't Terra we don't know what's behind there."

"If you want to do things the hard way, 'sigh' so be it."

At that electricity coursed through Robin's body shocking every muscle numb. He dropped to his knees in pain and gasped for air. Terra experienced the same pain and fell to the floor. The pain lessened to a dull roar and Slade was once again heard over the intercom.

"Have you had enough yet or do you need more?" Slade once again turned up the voltage. Robin could take this but not for long, then he looked at Terra. She was unconscious and still shaking. At this rate she might die from this treatment.

"Stop I'll do what you want."

"Very good, let this be a lesson for you." The electrical assault stopped and Robin regained his feet. Robin hurried over to where Terra was sprawled on the ground. She was breathing but was defiantly out. Robin picked her up and carried her through the door, letting his suspicions about her drop. This was Terra, no robot could fake the pain she must have felt, and no robot could feel this real. As Robin walked through the door it closed and sealed behind him. The room they were in now was about the size of the last room, perhaps a little bigger. It was well lit but sparsely appointed. A single bed was in the right corner closets to where he entered. The bed was larger than a twin but smaller than a queen; Robin laid Terra down on it and took in the rest of the room. Past the bed there was a table set into the corner with two chairs. Next to the table was a dispenser of some sort, water maybe, with two cups on it. A door in the upper left corner of the room opened when Robin tried the release. Like the other doors he had seen this one slid into the wall. Inside was a simple bathroom, shower, toilet, and sink.

Terra sat up her head was still ringing from thee attack she'd just endured.

"Are you ok?" Robin asked.

"Yeah," she stood up, her legs threatened to collapse but she ignored them. Terra didn't look ok in the least.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Robin stopped inspecting the bathroom and walked back into the main area of their prison.

"I'm fine, is that a bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"Excuse me." Terra pushed past him and quickly sealed the door.

Robin walked around the room trying to find anything that could aid in his eventual escape but there was nothing. He picked up one of the plastic cups, it was red, and placed it under the dispenser. Yeah it was a water cooler of some sort. Robin sat down in one of the chairs and waited, and waited. Soon after drinking a cup he remembered he had to go, but Terra had been in there for a while now. Robin crept to the door and listened in, but could here nothing the shower was on. So he sat back down, he could hold it in for another few minutes. Terra took another twenty minutes in the bathroom.

When Terra finally opened the door, Robin really had to go. Terra had showered and done her best to comb out her hair, it had been disorganized and frazzled when he'd first seen her. At the moment her blond hair was still wet and clung to her face. Expression wise she looked a lot better than she had earlier. The bathroom was steamy and uncomfortable; if this was what sharing a bathroom meant he'd haft to escape all that much faster. Robin had gotten so used to having a private bathroom, first with Bruce Wayne and then in the Titans Tower. As he thought about the titans a pang of regret and remorse washed over him. Cyborg and Raven had been right and he did not listen, for the love of him he didn't understand why it had seemed so right at the time.

"Terra?" She looked up from the table; she had been sitting drinking some water.

"Yes."

"What's with the panties hanging from the shower door?"

"It's personal."

Robin, having all the tact recently shocked out of him continued to pry.

"As I have to share a bathroom with you isn't it kind of my business?"

Terra looked at the floor.

"If I tell you, you have to do something for me."

"What kind of something?"

"You haven't taken off a mask once since you got here I haven't even seen your face yet."

"And."

"If I tell you, then you take off that mask."

Robin stopped for a moment.

" 'Sigh'…Deal."

Terra kept looking at the floor, she was obviously embarrassed but Robin didn't notice.

"I hadn't used the bathroom since I guess it would be almost two years." She paused and sighed before continuing. "When Slade shocked us I lost control." Her voice trailed off; suddenly Robin understood why she took so long.

"I'm sorry."

"What." Terra looked up.

"For prying, for provoking Slade, for not believing you, 'sigh' for all of it."

"That wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was everything that happened today was my fault."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up over things that can't be changed."

Robin removed the mask of his uniform and left in hanging behind him like Terra had, he wished he had something to cover his eyes but he'd rather not wear the full mask that Slade provided.

"There that's me without my mask."

Terra just stared at Robin for a moment.

"Robin your…"

"The scars nothing."

"I didn't mean the scar I meant your eyes." Terra pointed at Robin's eyes, which were blue. But not any blue the same cerulean as Terra's eyes.

"Oh, you're just interested in my eyes."

"Robin I've traveled over half the country, I have never seen anyone with eyes just like mine. Could we be related?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"The thought came to me when I first me you so I did some digging."

Now Terra regarded Robin almost crossly.

"What kind of digging?"

"Your parents were Alicia and Stefan Markov right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't tell anyone that. Not even Beastboy."

"Like I said I did some digging. Your parents were single children and you were a single child right?"

"Yeah, look I'm not sure where you are going with that."

"Terra if neither of your parents had blue eyes, there's no chance that you got them from you parents. So there's no chance that they gave blue eyes to anyone else."

"How did you learn all of this?"


	7. Chapter 7

"I have my sources."

"So we aren't related, why do you cover your eyes all the time Robin?" Terra changed the subject.

"It's a long story."

"We apparently have a long time." Terra gestured to the Spartan room.

"I…I've never told anyone my story."

Robin sat on the bed.

"Common it will be fun, if you tell me yours I'll share mine." Terra sat down beside him.

"No not now."

"Please? I'll go first if you agree."

"Uh…" Robin stopped in mid sentence as the slot by the table slid open and a conveyor system delivered two trays. Terra got up and went over to the table.

"This is dinner?" Terra asked the now closing slot as she sat down. Robin followed her over and saw why she asked. Each tray had a plastic bowl of some sort of gray mushy porridge, a bowl of some sort of soup, and a cracker. The only utensil was a plastic spoon.

"Yes this is dinner." Slade's cold voice came on from some hidden speaker. "If you don't want it don't eat it, but you won't get any more until you return the tray." The food dispenser slot reopened, but this time with a metal plate blocking any inquiry into the workings of the device. It was just an empty cabinet.

"Oh one other thing when the lights start to dim that means that lights out in ten minutes."

"Slade what…" The voice cut off. "…do you want with us?" Robin asked again.

The two trapped teenagers ate in silence, until Robin decided to reopen conversation.

"Terra?"

"Yes."

"Why do you want to know so much about me?"

"What, I can't find out that someone I've known for quite a while has eyes just like me, and that they know more about me than anyone else, and that I can know nothing about them?" Robin had hit a nerve Terra was irritated to say the least.

"Sorry that wasn't what I meant to say."

"What did you mean to say?" She finished her meal and slammed it back onto the dispenser nook. Terra wanted to leave the room but there was no place to get away from him, pig headed idiot, or was there? Terra got up and went into the bathroom, sealing the door behind her.

"Terra wait, I didn't mean to upset you." Robin placed his tray in the dispenser nook, he had only eaten half, and followed after Terra. She reached the bathroom and closed the door before he could stop her. Robin stood there trying to think about what to say, why did he even care hat Terra thought? After thinking for a minute he knew why.

"Terra." Robin didn't expect an answer; he sat down outside the door anyway. "I was orphaned at an early age. I never knew my mother or father. I lived on the street, stealing to eat and basically scrounging out a living. Terra had barley been paying attention to Robin but when she heard him talking she perked up and sat next to the door. Why the sudden change in him?

"Batman was my first real father, and after a time we grew apart. I got that scar from him when I failed. It sounds harsh but I dissevered far more. Since then I've tried to hide the old me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I've never told anyone this but you're the first to ask."

"I doubt that, why Robin?"

"This is all my fault."

"How, you didn't help Slade capture me."

"I walked right into his trap. He set out bait and I fell for it, no one else did but I ignored them." Robin sighed.

"I deserve everything that's happened to me, but you don't so I guess I'm just trying to make amends." The bathroom door opened, Terra walked out and sat down next to Robin.

"Blame Slade not yourself."

"You never shared the story of your life."

"You know most of it already."

"Just names not how you came to Jump city or anything about you."

"I was just a normal kid, loved by my parents, I was happy. My mother loved me very much and cared for me, played with me you know mother stuff." Terra sighed. "My father, I don't think he really liked me, like he resented me fro being born or something. He never told me he didn't like me but I could tell. He would play with me and never smile like he was just grinning and bearing it. I was never close to my dad, but my mom was my best friend too."

"Something happened." Robin didn't ask he just said it.

"Yeah, my thirteenth birthday." Another sigh. "At the party I got into a fight with my dad when he caught me and some of my friends playing spin the bottle. I threw a tantrum and then the ground started to shake." She stopped and tried to start twice but couldn't, she was on the verge of tears.

"Its ok you can stop." Robin put his hand around Terra and patted her on the shoulder. He was a little surprised that she let him.

"No, I promised I'd tell you."

"The house collapsed." Terra finally continued. "I, I was unhurt but my mom." Terra paused again. "She was rushed to the hospital, she was in a coma. My dad knew I had done it, he didn't say how he knew; I didn't know how I did it. He threw me out of the hospital room, told me he never wanted to see me again. I stormed out and never came back."

"You couldn't have known what would happen, Terra don't blame yourself."

"But I should it was my fault, anyway I got on a bus and with only fifty dollars in gift money I just left. I wasn't thinking straight and when I did regain control I didn't want to face my father." Robin started to say something but Terra cut him off.

"I know that it was dumb and as I look back I don't really know how I survived untouched. I worked in dinners and motels across the country for three years, I got lucky finding people who would help me and not try to exploit me. I eventually came here and that's where I meet you."

"What happened to your parents?" Terra paled some when Robin asked this.

"My mother, she came out of her coma but was never the same, I know because I went back once. She didn't even recognize me, I avoided my dad."

"You know that they probably were very worried about you."

"Maybe my mom but she wasn't all there, I don't care what my dad thinks."

The twos discussion was interrupted by the noticeable dimming of the lights. Terra who was still near tears changed the subject.

"Looks like we need to find our way to the bed, how will we do this?"

"I am going to take the heavy cover and sleep on the floor, you can have the bed Terra."

"Ok." Terra really wondered to herself why Robin was being so nice, and open. He was really bothered about what happened with Slade, he hadn't told her the specifics but he was defiantly remorseful about something.

"Goodnight Robin."

"Goodnight Terra." Robin rolled over, his back to Terra and closed his eyes. Terra stared up at the ceiling as the lights cut out. Terra shuddered as she found herself once again embraced by darkness, or was it cold, Terra closed her eyes reminding herself that this was just normal darkness, but sleep was slow to come.

"Robin." Robin came awake with a start, momentarily forgetting where he was. He came up fast in a position to defend himself, only to find Terra was poking him from her spot up on the bed. Robin dropped to the floor from his fight stance as he realized where he was.

"Yes Terra."

"Robin its really cold and, um, could you come up here with that blanket." Robin had taken the heavy blanket on the bed and was currently on the floor. As Robin stood up to face her he realized that it was much colder than it had been when he had gone to sleep. "Please Robin I wont roll over on you or anything."

"Ok hold on a second." Robin tossed the blanket over the bed and then felt his way around to the other side. "Is this ok?"

"Thank you Robin." Robin laid down with his back to Terra and tried to find sleep but he was restless. He had no problems when he was on the floor and this bed was more comfortable, but he felt wrong for being so close to her. It wasn't like he was dating Starfire, or Beastboy had rights to Terra, but he felt uncomfortable with the idea of the two of them together, even in a non-romantic way. A low groan and a rustling of fabric caused Robin to lose his train of thought. Terra was asleep again and she rolled over, her arm draping over Robin's shoulder. Robin's first reaction was to throw her arm off but he suppressed that idea and just laid there. It was nice to have a warm touch right? No, but Robin decided to ignore Terra's arm for her sake. Robin slowly found his way back to sleep and didn't even notice Terra roll closer to him and him to her.


	8. Chapter 8

At that same moment Starfire sat on the edge of the titan's tower looking out over the city. It was an hour past sunset and the city skyline was fully illuminated.

"Are you going to be all right Star?" She turned her head back to see Cyborg standing in the doorway.

"Yes I'm fine."

"It's not like you to hold your feelings inside." Cyborg walked out and stood a few feet behind her. So like him she thought, he never tried to be a leader but it just came to him when no one else was there to do it.

"Perhaps some of Robin has, how do you say, rubbed off onto me." Starfire turned her back on Cyborg and picked up her mental search for her friend.

"We all miss him, and we 're working our hardest to find him. Don't worry we will find him and Slade, I promise." Cyborg thought he head a sound but as Starfire still was ignoring him he turned to leave.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you want anyone to talk to Raven, Beastboy and I are down stairs."

"Cyborg." He stopped.

"Yes Star."

"Thank you." She chocked back a sob.

"Think nothing of it." A muffled scraping was all the sound that Cyborg made as he closed the door. Starfire hung her head in her lap and now that she was alone made no effort to hid her tears.

"Robin please come back to us, to me."

Inside Cyborg marched down to his computer terminal and opened up everything he had regarding Slade and hacked into Robin's private files as well.

"Sorry buddy, I'm sure there some things in here that you'd like to keep buried but now is not the time." Cyborg started talking to the air, his computerized brain was much faster than his human one, so much so that once given a task it was essayer to sit back and wait than to try and keep up with the AI.

"Well get you back not only for your sake Robin but for Star's too." Cyborg checked the power readings on his arm, with enough caffeine he should be able to pull an all-nighter he figured. The commands had been entered, and the computer said it would need several minutes to compile and sort the data into something he could use. Cyborg rose and headed to the downstairs kitchen to get a pot of coffee going, perhaps two? Yeah two.

"Beastboy what are you doing?" The green shape shifter was down stairs as he expected but was busy around the fridge rather than at the TV, and he just ate. Beastboy turned holding up the open tin of coffee that Cyborg kept in the fridge for freshness.

"Figured it would be a long night so I'm making two pots."

"Your going to help?"

"Of course what do you think I'd just sit back and wait for Robin to find his way home?" Cyborg had defiantly stuck a nerve.

"No, I just meant that you can't very well keep searching outside the tower without any rest."

"Speak for yourself, I'm seeing this one through to the end."

"Alright, I believe you, but that means we'll need three pots."

"Make that four." Raven walked into the room carrying what looked like readouts from the med-lab.

"Rae you don't ever like coffee."

"No, It's just not good for me BB. But I think my body can take a hit for the team right?"

"Yeah, what are those?" Cyborg pointed to the papers in her hand.

"These are the full results form Robin's detox scan, I'm hoping there's something useful in here that you didn't read earlier."

"Good idea." Cyborg turned on the coffee pot to brew up the first batch of many, for the first of many, he guessed, sleepless nights to come.


	9. Chapter 9

Light pierced into the room and Robin came awake with a start. He bolted upright and slowly calmed down as he took in his surroundings. The room had not changed since he had fallen asleep, Robin looked down and noticed that Terra had draped her arm around him inn her sleep. She was now stirring, the light may not have bothered her but Robin's sudden movements were rousing her from her slumber.

"Robin, 'yawn,' what's happening?"

"Morning I guess." Robin got out of the bed and stretched, trying to clear the cobwebs out of his head. For an instant Robin thought about getting dressed then he remembered he only had one set of clothes, if you could call Slade's uniform clothing. Terra disappeared into the bathroom and the food dispenser slot opened revealing breakfast, more porridge stuff.

"Ah it is good to see that you're on your feet and ready to continue students." Robin spun around looking for the speaker that Slade's voice was coming form.

"Show yourself coward." Slade continued talking ignoring Robin.

"After you eat and have properly woken up you two will begin your training. Robin you are to teach Terra everything you know about martial arts, you'll find the open floor to your left has the constancy of a training mat."

"That will take…"

"I am well aware of your skills Robin, training non-stop it should take one month. Think of it this way, the faster she learns the faster you two can leave this place." At that the speaker cut off.

"Terra did you here that?" Robin asked as he stood next to the bathroom door.

"Yes I heard." Terra opened the door and sat down at the table.

"Yummy, mush." Robin thought about laughing but couldn't bring himself to that much joy right now. He just smiled to himself as he entered and closed the door.

"Ok well start with the basics." Robin assumed an open palmed fighting stance that he preferred because of its wide range of mobility. "Just do what I do." Robin looked back to see if Terra, who stood behind him off to the right, was following instructions.

"Like this?"

"Almost raise your right arm up a little, good like that."

"Right." Robin began to lead Terra through a basic warm-up exercise. While T'ai chi was actually a fighting style of its own, if you speed it up, it would make a perfect warm up. First he taught her basic stances and foot movements then he began to teach her proper punching techniques when Slade's cold voice cut into the room.

"Very good Robin, Terra I am glade that you are doing so well." Their meals arrived. "After all this is only the first day of many, don't wear yourselves out too soon now." The speaker clicked off leaving the two in silence.

"I hope he extra suits because I'm going to destroy this one."

"I think it's supposed to last."

"Then I'll have to make it my prerogative." Terra laughed a little. "What's wrong Robin?" Terra was reacting to Robin's scowl.

"Nothing, just, I don't see any reason to be so happy right now." Terra sat down on the bed and flopped over on her back.

"Your right there is little to be happy about now, which is why we need to seize every moment of joy we can find. Robin I don't know what your feeling but me being here, him being here, that means that for all I did and for all I suffered trying to make amends, I failed. If I don't find the silver lining I'm afraid that I'll drown in the cloud."

Robin sat down beside her and she sat up leaning into his shoulder.

"It's alright Terra, we'll get through this. Everything that happened, it's all in the past and I forgive you for it. You're right if we don't make this better it won't on its own."

Terra sounded like she was going to say something but all that came out was sob. She just sat there crying into his shoulder for several minutes. All the time Robin sat there frozen questioning himself and his motives.

Stop it Robin your interfering with things you needn't mess with.

What am I to do, just let her cry by herself?

You've always seen yourself with Starfire right?

Right, but.

And you know how Beastboy feels about Terra.

Yeah, but.

You're just going to make your eventual escape and return to the Titans harder.

It can't be helped, now just quit it!

Robin looked down at the sobbing girl; she's not even that pretty Robin thought to himself. Starfire had a much nicer body and far larger breasts, and Terra was. Robin looked down again and sighed, perfect and here. Robin shook his head trying to expunge such thoughts; he defiantly didn't need any sort of romantic involvement going on, not now. Not in such close quarters. Yes, he would drop all of these ideas until they got out, then there would be plenty of time to pursue any type of relationship.

_You'll never make it. _

_Shut up, not only will I make it, I won't get involved with her at all. _

_Unless she wants it. _

Unless she… shut up.

Time passed, Terra wasn't sure how long it was she had been counting the days but it was a pointless exercise. She didn't even now what the corresponding time was outside, she guessed almost three weeks have passed. Robin would of course know, she was really surprised that he was not constantly thinking of the other Titans and drawing up escape plans. If she had anyone waiting outside of here for her, she would have spent all her time focused on that person, and getting back to him. She inwardly sighed, Beastboy, he had been her friend and would have been so much more had she not screwed it up. But Robin had Starfire right? She hadn't asked him but she knew, things change but those two seamed to be meat for each other. Still it was to bad he was already taken he was kinda cute once you got to know him. Terra shook her head that type of thought would accomplish nothing except make this room way too uncomfortable to bear.

Terra threw a straight left punch aiming for Robin's throat, but he side stepped grabbed her arm pulling her close to him.

"Terra you're still telegraphing your actions, don't move your feet until you start to swing."

"You're only so good at predicting me because you taught me. I'd do fine against anyone else."

"You wish."

"Robin." Terra laughed "Uh Robin." Robin hadn't released her yet and they were standing far to close to even be awkward.

"Oh sorry." Robin released her and stepped away. Terra rolled her neck and returned to her fighting stance.

"Alright here I come."

"Remember your footwork can give away your move." Terra stepped forward with her left leg again, Robin sighed to himself she was trying the same move again, no she was to low perhaps a feint. Robin suddenly moved forward coming just inside the range of a vicious right haymaker from Terra, her arm wrapped around him barley missing the back of his head. Terra kept going wrapping around Robin's neck and throwing him to the ground. Then she let out a startled cry as Robin grabbed her by the waist and they both went down in a tangled mass.

"Damit how'd you manage to do that?" Robin had ended up on top pining Terra beneath him.

"I'm just that amazing."

"Liar."

The two lay there for a second catching their breath, looking into each other's eyes and Robin drew closer, Terra made no move to stop him she lifted her face to meet his and partially closed her eyes. Something in her was screaming to stop or do anything but what her body was about to do, but at the same time a much more powerful voice was drowning out Terra's conscience, kiss the boy it was yelling. She stopped moving upwards and closed her eyes, or at least pretended. Robin moved to meet her at the half way but he stopped and jerked back as a cold hard voice cut in over the intercom.

"I am pleased to see that you've come so far in your training Terra." Robin stood up and held out his hand to Terra, but she brushed him off and stood on her own. "Now we will move on to the next stage…" A seamless door that neither teen had previously noticed slid open revealing a long and dark passage way. "…Through there you will encounter your next test and if you past you will be much closer to freedom."

Dam you Slade, Terra thought to herself. How the hell can you ruin two first kisses with two different guys! "I will be expecting you up ahead, do hurry I don't enjoy waiting." The loudspeaker cut off leaving Robin and Terra alone again.

"Should we go?" Terra said nothing.

"Terra."

"What." She snapped.

"I asked should we go?"

"Where?"

"Down that tunnel of course."

"Oh." Terra turned to face him, she hadn't been paying attention to what Slade or Robin had said. "Yes we better go." She fell into step behind Robin as they advanced down the tunnel. Robin wanted to say something but was totally at a loss of words presently.

_Did we almost kiss? _

_Should have just ignored Slade_. That still small voice in his head responded.

_I can't get involved with her, what about Star… _

_What about her, is she here?_

_N, no._

_Then don't worry about her._

_This whole thing feels wrong, we shouldn't be together its not our fate._

_Ha, fate, you wouldn't know fate if it jumped up and hoofed you in the balls. Starfire has been waiting for you to return her feelings for almost four years. If you haven't done so know perhaps its not meant to be._

_Then what should I do?_

_Do nothing; don't bring up that moment again. If this is what you truly want then you'll get another chance._

Robin refocused his mind to take in the tunnel they where nearing a corner and there was a light around it. The room they entered was a locker room of sorts with an array of equipment and gadgets meant for the suits they currently wore.

"I will let you pick out items for your selves, have fun." Terra was going to say something but the speaker cut off as fast as it started.

Robin helped Terra put together a pack of weapons and various utility gadgets, and then the two of them faced the closed door at the far end and waited.

"Slade we did what you wanted, what now?"

"Patience dear, it's a virtue that you should learn." Terra said something else but Slade refused to talk again. Several minutes passed, Robin spent the time inspecting the items in the room that he couldn't fit on his belt or suit. Terra spent the time watching Robin.

_What am I doing, we managed to spend almost a month together and nothing happened. Why am I fucking it all up now?_

_Because you like him._

_No, he's just a friend I like Beastboy._

_Do you really._

_Yes, he was there for me when no one else was. _

_Well it seams like he your favorite out of necessity, not because he was special. _

_That's not true, he is special._

_Yet you were about to kiss him._

_I, I don't know what to think._

_If you truly loved Beastboy there would be no conflict._

_What does that mean?_

_It means you must choose, you can't love them both._

Terra shock her head trying to shake loose her conscience, it had been feeding her bad information from the start. Or news she knew was true but didn't want to admit.

Her reprieve was ended as the door clicked and swung outward.

"Your final test is through here, clear this room and you will have graduated. While I realize that you can probably take this course on your own Robin, It doesn't count unless Terra can prove herself."

"Then what?"

"You will find out when we get to then Robin." Slade was once again silent and the two cautiously stepped through the door.

"Are you ready?" Robin stepped next to Terra as the two confronted the closed door.

"Yeah." Terra lifted the mask on the back of her jumpsuit over her head and secured the fittings.

"On three then. One. Two." Terra grabbed Robin's hand and squeezed. Robin paused a second to smile. "Three."


	10. Chapter 10

The two masked teens burst through the door, Robin rolled and came up into a crouch, Terra followed suit but was a little slow. The room was black with white stripes in a square pattern along the walls and ceiling, Robin looked down, and floor. Kind of reminded him of the Holo-decks from the Star Trek shows, but this one was much larger and unlike those TV rooms this was full of machinery. A tower rose out of the center of the room, made of parts from many different devices running for purposes only Slade knew. Wrapped around the tower was a walkway that spiraled up and came to a door about fifty feet up. Blinking lights indicated that the door was the objective in this test. The room appeared empty.

"Come on lets go before trouble starts." Robin pulled Terra along as he headed for the base of the ramp.

"To late." Terra stopped and pointed up, but her gaze quickly dropped to the ground as figures dropped from the ceiling. Robin skidded to a halt and backed up to where Terra was. As the figures stood up and walked into the dim lights of the test room Robin immediately recognized them as Slade's robots. They had stopped appearing and were now closing around the two in a lose circle, weapons drawn. Robin positioned himself so his back was right next to Terra's he pulled out one of the two retractable staffs he carried. With a flick of his wrist the weapon extend to its full length, Robin swung it around in a menacing manner and then let it drop to his side. Holding it close to his side the way a one would a sword, just letting the tip touch the ground. Terra pulled her staff as well and held it in front of her to act as a shield, while letting her left hand drop to her belt. The staff was much heavier than the plastic things that Slade had allowed her to train with. Where the training ones would bend and break if you really swung with them, this staff could easily cause much more damage, she hoped she was ready for this because deep down she didn't feel ready at all. The robots broke the tense showdown as they in unison began to advance, they hadn't fired but their weapons were still at ready.

Which was of course their first mistake, Robin suddenly swung his staff forward in a horizontal slash. A twist of his wrist released this staff's secret. Robin's staff could split up into a pair of smaller staves, but this was Slade's weapon. A blade flew out of the tip, his swing would have missed the robots by inches but now the blade drew a jagged slash through the midsections of two that were too close. One slash caused just superficial damage but the other collapsed in a gush of sparks and lubricants. Robin stopped his swing by grabbing the staff; now spear, with his free hand and plunged forward, impaling the next closet machine. Jerking the spear free with his left hand he grabbed an explosive disk from his belt and tossed it at the damaged robot, it exploded taking out the two adjacent bots. Bending over Robin dodged two shots form a machine on his left and spun the staff over his head shifting his balance and his handling of his weapon. With another twist Robin released the other hiding knife at the back end of his staff and charged forward to confront the remaining four of the original nine robots that had been on his side.

As Robin let lose a battle cry Terra had her hands on a pair of discs in her belt. As Robin stuck the first robot, Terra couldn't see it her back was turned but she could hear the sound of metal cutting metal, Terra tossed out a disc. The deadly mini-Frisbee connected with the midsection of a robot to her left. Grabbing the staff in both hands she charged forward evading shots form the robots around her. Diving into the air the staff caught three bots that were standing together across their chests. They were forced to the ground and Terra loosened her grip on the staff and fell with them. As soon as they hit the ground Terra let go and flipped her self over the fallen robots. Landing with her back turned Terra picked up her staff, it was reversed behind her back. Twisting the ends of her weapon she released the two blades and swung around still holding the weapon behind her. Two machines that had gotten too close went down smoking. Terra let her left hand drop to her belt and spun the staff back in front of her with her right hand. Plunging the staff down she stabbed one of the robots she'd knocked over a second ago through the eye, it sparked and promptly died.

Terra let out a grunt of pain as a fist connected with her shoulder. There were still four standing robots and they weren't about to let her fight one at a time. Another hit landed, driving Terra to her knees. Swing out she toppled the offending bot and rolled away, from the three standing bots. Make that five the two she'd knocked over were back up. Three pulled started to fire again as two came in towards her. She hurled an explosive disk at the leftmost of the firing robots, her disc hit the gun blowing it and the robot to small pieces. The shock wave took out the other two robots as well; too bad she was too close to the remaining ones. Ducking beneath a nasty haymaker she kicked up landing a solid kick on her attacker's chin. The steel-toed boot she wore couldn't absorb the shock of hitting the metal man, and Terra jumped back once again dropping to her knees. To her delight the kick knocked the head right off, well almost it was still hanging by some wires, dangling over its back. Hefting the staff over her shoulder like a spear Terra let it sail, right through the midsection of the only undamaged robot, which left only the head less one. She took a step forward, as its head controlled its vision, it shouldn't be able to see her. But it could still hear, the robot, which had been previously stumbling, turned and fired at the source of the sound. Terra threw herself to the ground landing far to hard and loud, more shots followed. The robot turned in the direction of where Robin was fighting multiple robots. Terra quickly and quietly stood. Not quietly enough, the damaged one whirred around tracking towards her firing. Don't these things ever run out of ammo? Movement out of the corner of her eye was all that alerted her to its presence, throwing her hands up Terra deflected a punch form another Robot. She staggered back shocked, what had shocked her was not the force of the hit but the fact she had lost track of this one. There weren't supposed to be any left. No time to muse about this, she told herself, the robot, which shouldn't be there, was swinging again and the almost headless one was still shooting. It had amazingly good aim for a blind machine, scoring hits less than half a foot away.

Side stepping her attackers next punch Terra got behind the robot and using one hand grabbed it around the neck, with the other she reached for its weapon. To bad chocking doesn't work on robots. Terra was rewarded with an elbow to the chest for her trouble. Gasping out she still hung one. Darkness started to creep into her vision as the robot hit her again and raised its arm to strike a third time. But then she felt instead the sting of hot metal against her skin. The headless one had finally hit its mark, the other robots head. The head had shattered throwing hot shards of shrapnel all over her. Terra grabbed the now dead robot's weapon and fired. She'd not always been the greatest shot but today her aim was true. Shots bisected her attacker slicing through its waist and at the elbow, taking its gun had off completely. As the metal corpse she held collapsed to the ground she did too. The blast she had taken at close range could have killed her or at the least maimed her horribly, but thanks to the suit she wore all she could feel was a dull ache. Running her hand along her check she felt for damage as she stood up in the relativity calm aftermath of her fight. The mask hadn't broken and she didn't seem to be bleeding, but from the tenderness of her cheek and next she would have a nasty bruise come tomorrow. Then without warning a blast hit her from behind pitching her over; looking over her shoulder she could just see her attacker. It was yet another robot, this one was damaged on its left side, like it had been in an explosion. It must have been a part of those three she'd written off as dead. To bad she could do nothing to stop it. The robot aimed at her again obviously preparing to finish her off. Then it halted and looked down, Terra followed its gaze. The strangest thing had happened a knife had grown out of its chest, she wondered how that works. But Terra was to tired and hurt to wonder anymore and she just relaxed and let the darkness swallow her up.


	11. Chapter 11

"Terra." A noise was calling her back from darkness, like her mother used to do when she was sleeping in. Terra moved to pull the sheets higher about her, she needed more sleep.

"TERRA." There was panic in the voice this time.

She tried to speak but only managed a groan. Light filtered back into the world, she wasn't at home in her bed. She hadn't been there for years. Terra was lying on her back in the training room; Robin was looking down, obviously worried.

"Are you alright Terra?" She sat up and started to shake the fog out of her head. Her mask had been removed and her hair now cascaded around her in a tangled mess.

"Yeah I'm fine." Getting up she stumbled and Robin grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"Your hurt."

"How long was I out?"

"Only a few seconds."

"No, I'm fine, just a little wobbly." Pushing away from Robin she walked a few steps on her own, to prove she could, then turned back to Robin. "Well come on, we don't know how long this is." Terra started moving towards the spiral ramp.

"Ok but let me take care of things for a while." Robin moved up in front as they begin to climb. Terra was about to protest but deep down she knew she didn't have the strength right now.

With a carefully delivered upward slash Robin felled the last of the three that had attacked them. This was the third group that had jumped the two since they began their accent of the tower. They only came in groups of three but they attacked without warning, Robin had so far been able to beat them by himself. Terra hoped he could keep it up; his attacks had become much more focused. Rather than simply destroying them he was conserving his strength and finishing each one with as little power as necessary. Terra was both amazed by his control and worried that he taking the precaution to ration his strength, after all the goal was about twenty feet above them, only two more rotations. What really amazed her was how good he had gotten. Terra remembered the fight between them like it was yesterday, for her was. Robin on the other hand had over two? years between then and now. His forms were more focused and practiced, even with the training she had received and the full use of her powers she knew she stood no chance. Back then they had been almost even. Her brief period of contemplation was broken when another three robots dropped from the ledge above, firing.

Robin rolled, dodging the shots and returned fire with one of his discs. The razor sharp weapon embedded itself in the robot's chest, its arms went ridged and it missed the ledge they were on. Flipping over backward Robin dodged the second's fire and charged in low barreling it over. They both toppled of the edge; it was easily thirty feet to the ground bellow.

"Robin!" No, Terra told herself, I will not lose him too. Sprinting forward and pulling her staff she bashed the final robot's head in. For some reason they were ignoring her. Robin was hanging on an outstretched strut several feet down. Out of Terra's reach and to far away from the ledge bellow to jump.

"Hang on." Slade had not given them grappling hooks for this test, probably to keep them from bypassing the guards.

"Its ok, I've got this one." He called back up. Then he slipped some, regaining his grip just before he would have fallen. Then Terra noticed the figure bellow him, Robin hadn't succeeded in losing they robot.

"Don't move." Terra pulled one of her throwing discs, the non-explosive kind.

"Hey wait what are you doing?"

"I said don't move, I'm not losing you."

"What…" Robin let out a started shriek as Terra threw the disc. Terra held her breath, time seemed to go in slow motion as the lethal weapon hurtled through the air, far closer to Robin than she would have liked.

_What happens if we miss or if this doesn't work?_

_It will work._

_That's all the support you can give. _

_It Will Work._

After what seemed like an eternity the disc hit. The robot took the hit to the head and went dead. With a simple kick Robin dislodged the extra weight and pulled himself up to were his elbows rested on the strut.

"That was a stupid and crazy thing to do." Terra felt that she should have been perturbed that he still doubted her but all she could feel was relief.

"Sorry, I…"

"Thank you."

"What…"

"It's ok, thank you, now lets get me back up." He thought for a moment. "Hold your staff out over the edge, as far as you can go."

"But it won't reach that far." Terra did as she was instructed anyway.

"Won't need to." Robin pulled himself up and squatted on the strut. "Just brace yourself."

"Wait Robin that's crazy…"

"Terra, you did the right thing before, I should have trusted you unconditionally, but now its time to trust me."

"Right." There was nothing for her to grab onto and still be able to hang over the ledge, spreading herself out as best she willed herself to be heavier. "Go for it." Terra attempted a smile but her heart wasn't in it.

Robin jumped, catching the staff about halfway through his leap; he began to swing towards the central tower. The shock hit Terra like a load of bricks suddenly she was pulled over the edge and was falling herself. Screaming she squeezed her eyes shut and held on.

_Is this really how it ends, after all that I've been through? _As she saw her life flashing before her all she could think of was regret for dreams not realized. But her fall was not long enough for her to complete her remorseful thoughts. Less than four feet down she could feel herself change direction and then another shock as the staff hit something. Terra opened her eyes and looked up. Robin had grabbed a pipe on the tower, the ones on her previously level had been out of her reach. He was obviously strained holding onto the pipe with one hand and her staff with the other. Terra pulled herself up, as soon as she grabbed the ledge Robin dropped the staff and rushed forward griping her hands and pulling her up. When she was once again standing Robin didn't let go of her hands.

Terra stepped in close pressing herself against him, she would have hugged him but she didn't want to have him let go.

"Terra are you alright?"

"I am now. I thought that I lost you, and then that I was lost. But I am alright now." She stepped back her eyes probing into the mask he wore, of course she still was wearing hers. They just stayed there taking in each other for several seconds.

"W…we had better get moving." Robin finally broke her gaze and let go of her hands.

"Right." Terra nodded picking up her staff and starting forward. "I hope the bots aren't back."

Robin actually laughed at that, Terra hadn't heard him laugh since they had arrived here almost a month earlier.


	12. Chapter 12

The rest of their accent was unmarred by the appearance of any more Slade bots, and a few minutes latter the two of them crossed the threshold into another room. It was much smaller than the last but still had the same look, black with thin white lines crisscrossing it in a grid. As the two walked in the door behind them slid shut and lasers begin to come online. They formed a tangled web across the room, each one moved in an almost random pattern.

"I guess we aren't supposed to touch them."

"Probably." Robin sat down; the area by the door was the only place the lasers didn't touch. "I wonder," he continued, "what would happen if something hit them." Terra started to protest but Robin had already pulled one of his throwing discs and flipped one into a tangle of lasers.

"Don't It'll probably bring more robots…" Terra stopped and let out a short gasp as she watched the disc strike the first laser in its path. The laser cleanly cut the disc in two. Of course a single deadly laser wasn't enough, when the disc touched the first laser it must have set off an alarm because as the pieces fell to the floor they were intersected again and again by other lasers. Each one in the local area left its pattern to slice at the disc. More small pieces than Terra could count fell to the ground.

Robin gulped.

"No chance that he'd make this easy."

"What do we do?"

"Well see that red lever on the other side."

"Yeah."

"My guess is that controls the lasers." Robin stood back up. "One of us will have to go over there and pull that switch."

"Robin that's insane."

"Maybe not just give me a few minutes to think, see if you can find a pattern."

"Ok." This was bad, was Slade really trying to kill them? After all the time that they had been held captive? No he couldn't mean to kill them, there must be a sure fire way across the room. Terra didn't see it but she silently hoped Robin would find away.

Robin poked his staff into the lasers, this was the second time he had done so and the effect was the same. The lasers all moved to intercept this unknown aggressor and Robin lost another inch or two from his staff.

"Hm."

"What?"

"I think I can get through." Robin stood up and handed Terra his staff. I need you to continually poke right there."

"There." Terra pointed to the place.

"Yeah. As long as the lasers are busy I think that I can get through."

"That going to be dangerous."

"I know." Robin stretched a little preparing himself for the task.

"Robin."

"Yes."

"Before you go, I have to tell you something."

"Its ok, whatever it is, it can wait until we both get across."

"But…"

"Now Terra." She jabbed out with the staff and begin to juke it back and forth tripping as many lasers as she could as many times as she could. Robin took off, sprinting into the tangled web of death. Diving over the first set and rolling beneath the second. As you went deeper into the room the lasers remained stationary. Robin passed the section of moving lasers but Terra kept doing as she had been told for fear that the others might move if she stopped, even if she was running out of staff. Robin slid past yet another set of lasers and jumped over the last line.

"Ta-da. Easier than I thought."

"Just shut them down."

"Ok." Robin pulled the switch and sure enough the lasers cut off. "Hurry up."

"Coming." Terra allowed herself a smile as she set off across the floor. Robin had been amazing.

"TERRA."

"What." Robin just pointed behind her. She glanced back and noted with horror that the lasers were coming back online, slowly but they would over take her before she reached the end.

"Run!" Not having to be told again Terra picked up her pace to a sprint. To late the activation passed her with only a few feet left. She found herself trapped, surrounded by deadly lasers only a few feet away from the end.

"You'll have to jump, I know you can do it Terra."

Yeah no big deal you've done stuff like this before. Raising her hands above her she envisioned what this was going to look like then she jumped.

Having only a foot or so she could not get much of a running start but it was enough. Jumping above the first set Terra landed on her hands, she immediately felt pain but ignored it. Pushing off her hands she flipped through the air passing through a narrow opening on her side and then hitting the ground on the other side, hard. Letting out a grunt of pain Terra simply lay there, until Robin helped her up.

"Are you ok?"

"No, my side."

"It's alright, you made it." Robin helped her sit up and probed her side. His touch felt good but caused far more pain that it should have.

"I think you might have broken a rib earlier."

"Lovely."

"Here take my hand." Terra did so and Robin helped her up. She could walk with out his help but Robin insisted, so she just hung onto his shoulder and he acted like a crutch.


	13. Chapter 13

Limping into the next room Terra was surprised by the size of it. The room was as least as large as the first room and it was painted the same. The major difference was the large chasm between the parts of the room. They now stood on what appeared to be a cliff facing the opposite edge about forty feet across. Robin looked over the edge and promptly backed away.

"That far huh."

"What."

"The drop."

"I can't see the bottom."

"It's an illusion the floor is twenty feet bellow us." Robin and Terra both whirled around at the sound of that voice. Slade calmly stepped through the door that they had just passed through.

"How did you?"

"I have my ways, now watch closely." Slade pressed something on his left gauntlet.

"The controls are in the same place on your suits." A thin sheet of material extended from his arms connecting to his legs, forming a glider of sorts. Slade ran towards the edge and jumped off. Robin and Terra peered off to see where he had fallen. While the semi-glider didn't look like it would hold Slade sailed across the gap like a bird and closed his arms dropping to the ground on the other side.

"The final goal is through this door, hurry now the training is almost over." Slade disappeared into a burst of flame.

"Why can't he just use a door like everyone else?" Robin checked his gantlets looking for the glider activator.

"Robin I don't see the controls."

"Just bellow the last ridge." Robin showed her where he was pressing. "Here."

When she pressed it the thin membrane extended, good it didn't appear to be damaged.

"I have no idea what to do."

"I've done this kind of thing before just keep your arms spread."

"What if I mess up?"

"You won't, here take my hand." Terra grasped his outstretched hand; she could feel him squeeze, just a little, the reassuring kind. "Ready?"

"No, but let's do this." With a running start the two took to the air, like a pair of birds ridding the current. It was exhilarating the freedom Terra could feel as she flew through the air. The feeling she had gotten when riding on a floating rock couldn't compare to almost freefall.

Robin pulled his arms in and smoothly dropped to the ground, Terra only managed to fall to her knees.

"Are you alright Terra?" She just laughed. "Terra."

"I'm fine. Well a little sore." She admitted.

"Lets go."

"Right." Nodding Terra stood up, her strength had returned, or at least the adrenaline was drowning out the pain.

The next room was more along the lines of a normal room than the others. Note more along he line does not mean normal. The room had a low ceiling and a pair of chairs in the center; they were bolted to the floor. The far wall lit up, robin realized that the whole wall was a TV screen.

"Wow."

"What." Terra sat down, it felt good to finally rest her legs.

"The tower has a 54' screen but this is wow." Terra just looked at him.

"It's a projector dumbass." Terra waved hr hand in front of the previously unseen light source and her shadow showed up on the wall.

"Oh, yeah." Robin laughed sheepishly and sat down. Terra just shook her head. As he sat the lights dimmed and with a light rumbling Terra was sure that they had started moving. The picture, which had previously been blank, focused into the image of a building.

"This is the Jump City museum of natural history and ancient art." Slade's voice begun without preamble. "Last month a new exhibit opened called treasures of ancient Sumeria. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the royal garment of the great kings." The image turned to a glass-incased robe, incrusted with jewels and adored with a massive crown. "You will take the amulet of Quoz." The picture zoomed in to a simple necklace that lay at the foot of the robe, nestled between a pair of scepters.

"I've been there before Slade, I wont steal anything for you."

"You will or you will never leave here alive." At that point Slade simply ignored what Robin had to say and continued on an explanation of how the two of them would subvert the security and steal the necklace. Terra didn't want to do this as well but she quietly watched and took in the plan, she noticed that Robin while challenged Slade the whole time took in every detail.

"You will leave for the museum as soon as your wounds have healed." The door in the far wall slide open. "When you give me that amulet I will deactivate the suits and you will be free."

"You promise."

"Yes of course, when have I ever balked on a promise, Terra?"

"I don't ever remembering you make a promise." Slade didn't respond.

"Come on Robin lets get out of here." Terra pulled Robin towards the open door but stopped to hold her side.

"Relax, I'll lead for a while." Robin swung her arm over his shoulder and let her rest on him as they walked through the door, and back into a very familiar holding cell.

"Full circle huh."

"Yeah, the doors open let's get out of here." Heading through the far door the two found themselves in their room for the last couple of weeks. Robin sat Terra on the bed and disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a first aid kit.

"Let me take a look at your injures."

"I'm alright really." She still raised her hands over her head and let Robin's fingers probe her midsection.

"Oww." Robin pulled back quickly.

"See, your hurt, I need you to take off your suit."

"You just want to see me naked."

"You have a bra on right?"

"Yeah, but that's not the point."

"Terra you wont get any better if someone doesn't take care of you."

"Hmmmp." Terra stood and unzipped the suit, rather than steeping out of it she just removed her arms letting the rest fall over her legs as she sat back down. Large parts of her right side and back looked puffy and discolored, like a bruise that was just starting to show.

"Raise your arms again." Terra complied and Robin began to apply a paste from the first aid kit.

"Ugh, what is this shit?"

"Who said medicine was supposed to smell good."

"But must it be this bad?"

"This is nothing, I got a bad cut when I trained with the True master. Robin steeped back and undid his suit the same way she had. Terra almost gasped when she saw his bare chest, besides a collection of scars that seemed to belong to a much older person, Robin had as many bruises from the fight as herself, possibly more.

"My god Robin."

"The bruises, they're nothing I'll take care of them after we finish with you." He pointed to a small scar over his chest. "This one was much larger when I got it, it just healed up great. The True Master's remedy worked but it smelled so bad, I'm just thankful she didn't mention what it was made of before I got it off."

"What was it made of?"

"Hold still, lets just say that dinner hand been bad enough that night and I was glad that I didn't have to see it again."

"What does that mean?" Terra did stop fidgeting and let Robin begin to wrap her wounds with some of the medical gauze in the kit.

"It was nasty, trust me."

"I do, but I still want to know."

"Ok well you start with Goat and Yak piss."

"Gross."

"It gets worse."

"Go on."

"Boil it down and you get a resin. Well you take that and add it to Yak milk and ferment it." Looking at Terra's face Robin added it smelled worse than your imagining.

"There all done, wait don't put the suit back on the area needs to breathe for at least a night."

"Fine now sit and let me take care of you."

"I can do it myself."

"I didn't ask a question, now sit." Terra scolded playfully as she pushed him to the bed.

"Not so feisty, submit I submit." Terra just laughed as she began to apply the foul smelling medicine.

"What's so funny?" Terra just kept laughing and Robin joined her.

"When do you think Slade will consider us healed?" Terra lay beside Robin looking up at the darkened ceiling, food had come and gone and now the two tried to sleep. After wearing the suit as almost a second skin Terra was anxious about sleeping next to Robin with her upper body exposed.

_Afraid he will try something or are you wishing he would?_

_Not now._

"I don't know. Knowing Slade we could see action as early as tomorrow."

"Are you still certain you wont do this. After all he only wants a small piece of a treasure."

"Slade doesn't want it for sentimental value. For whatever reason he's alive again it involves Raven. Anything that is remotely magical is a threat if it involves Raven."

"You say again?"

"I see no way that he could have survived what you did to him."

"So you'll do this?"

"I don't like it, but I've done far worse while working for Slade."

"You worked for Slade?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what."

"I guess I can see why non of the others said anything to you about this. About four months before we met you I was Slade's apprentice."

"Why?"

"He blackmailed me with the others. I had no choice."

"What happened?" Robin thought back to his memories of his fights with his friends, and to Red X.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Robin was silent after that and Terra decided not to press. Settling back she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

The next day came all to soon and Terra soon found herself standing on the national bank office tower. Robin was focusing on the museum, two blocks away. Since their release, per say, from Slade's base the two had found out just how much these suits were equipped with.

"Wind conditions are good, no ones around. Are you ready?"

"No, but let's get this over with Ro…" He hissed at her to be quite.

"No names got it."

"Yeah sorry." Terra paused on the precipice; looking down at the world she was about to forcefully reintroduce her self to. Fanning out the wings of her suit she crouched and prepared to jump. "Ok let's go."

"On three." "One." Robin grasped Terra's hand.

"Two." She squeezed his hand tight, its all going to be ok she thought to herself.

"Three." The yelled in unison as the two of them plummeted from the rooftop. For about twenty feet they simple dived then, they began to pull up from their death plummet and began a slow glide towards the museum roof. The muted lights of Jump City shimmered bellow, but no one noticed the two silent figures, hawks descending on unsuspecting prey. They landed fast rolling behind an air compressor. The soreness Terra felt reminded her that even though her previous wounds had been treated and Slade's medicine worked wonders, she wasn't in top condition. Neither was Robin. After doing all of this to train her was he merely trying to get them both killed?

Robin began to mouth commands to her, she couldn't hear them or see his lips move but tiny sensors within the mask transmitted the words to her.

"Get ready for step two." Terra responded with a simple double click of her comm. Robin crouched watching the security cameras go through their patrol of the rooftop, each one finished its arc and returned in about ten seconds, and the timing must be perfect.

A simple hand movement was all Terra saw and then she was off sprinting low while the mechanical eyes were turned. Pressing herself up against the wall beneath the first camera she waited, a timer superimposed over her eyes by the mask ticked down. Slade had scouted this place out thoroughly and had no plans on them failing. The mark reached zero and she was moving again. Ducking beneath the second camera she pulled out a laser image-disguiser. This little beauty was supposed to project and image to a point, while being more or less ineffective against anyone with any common sense, it should work against the final stationary camera. Terra tossed the disc like object out so it slid along the ground. The device started to blink and in three seconds held steady green light, that camera was happily looking at prerecorded scenes of the roof. Terra detached herself form the wall and walked over to the camera. Pulling another of Slade's goodies she attached it to the box that controlled the three cameras on the roof. A few more seconds passed and then she heard a tone sound inside her mask. Robin heard it to and hurried to where she was.

"Phase two complete." She heard Robin tell Slade.

"Good proceed with the next step." Slade was of course not here, or anywhere nearby for that matter. Terra wondered why he just didn't steal the simple amulet himself. A clinking noise drew her out of introspection. Robin was removing the covering for the ventilation system's intake. It was going to be a tight fit she saw as she wedged herself into the ductwork after Robin.

Terra sighed, 'how did I get myself in to this' she thought as she swung upside down above the gallery floor. Robin had her by the ankles and was slowly lowering her to the ground. Halting inches from the floor Terra depressed a hidden button on her armband. The smoke generators worked perfectly, billowing a transparent cloud across the floor. As the smoke rose red lines became apparent, lots of them. A simple grid covered the floor spaced every two feet. Above them lasers appeared to be spread at random across the floor, most were just the same laser reflected of mirrors but that made the task ahead no easier. Disrupting or caging the mirrors was not an option, at least not in this phase of the mission.

"Now."

Robin acknowledged with a click and then swung Terra to the right. This was risky but it was the only way. When Robin let go in mid swing Terra dropped the last inch and landed on her hands. Swaying back and forth, madly fighting to keep her balance Terra flipped over placing her feet in another square, just as planed. Continuing her flip she rose up and crouched down, alerting Robin to her success with a nod. Robin nodded back and then crawled off, he had another task to perform. Leaving Terra to the lasers, at least these wouldn't slice you up. Rising to a half crouch Terra ducked beneath the first set of lasers and moved forward. Three tile sections to go, the next would be harder though. Bending herself over backwards Terra took up a position from when she had taken gymnastics.

_I was only seven then, things were happy then. No powers, no burdens, no Slade._

_No Beast Boy, no Robin, yep things were better. _The sarcasm was just overflowing.

For once maybe her conscience was right for all that she had lost she had gained a good friend and perhaps someone more.

FOCUS.

Starting form her daydream Terra advanced in between the cross X pattern that the lasers had woven. As soon as she crossed the second barrier Terra flattened herself to the ground and curled up, this section was not devoid of lasers. A glance at her watch told her she was ten seconds behind, picking up the pace to near reckless she slid beneath a rather low set laser. Then raising her herself up she began to lift her body over the next obstacle. Raising her hips to clear the low-lying laser, Terra glanced at her watch, dam she was still seven seconds behind. Luckily this square was clear; she flipped up and turned around. The final set of lasers was to close together to pass under or over. No she would have to go through this one.

"Shit." Terra cursed, she wasn't loud so no one but herself heard it. She was five seconds behind, two, no time to prepare, one. The laser wall surrounding the case dropped. It would only be done for twenty seconds, no time to think. Terra dived forwards towards a gap in the laser screen, twisting her body in mid air to dodge the second set. Terra landed hard on her shoulder but still rolled up steadying herself against the case. It vibrated slightly but not enough to set off that particular set of alarms. Fifteen seconds, Terra placed her hand to the glass and let the built in glasscutter do its job. Placing the cut out chunk of glass on top of the case, she reached inside careful to avoid the crown or scepter, after all the guards only placed pressure sensors on the largest pieces. The amulet Slade was after wasn't rigged. Gently she wrapped her fingers around the tine chain of the amulet, it was a simple silver design. Carefully she pulled the thousand-year-old necklace from its place bellow the robes and scepter and lifted it towards the hole. Five seconds left, no time for fines, she cleared the alarmed obstacles, two. Pulling back Terra yanked the amulet of the case, on cue the laser screen raised itself about the case. Smiling to herself Terra placed the amulet in a specially made pouch.

_Wait why am I smiling, I'm being forced to do this?_

_Maybe you like this kind of thing._

_No, that's not it this is wrong._

You're still smiling.

Terra began her trek back across the floor. The first barrier was impossible to pass but as planed Robin cut off the lower laser so she could crawl beneath. To bad he couldn't do that on the way in. The remaining ones were much easier, without a clock Terra easily circumvented the remaining lasers. By the time Terra reached the open vent Robin was already hanging upside down.

"Your late."

"Relax we don't have another guard coming by for at least four minutes. Ready?"

Robin just nodded.

Terra leaped up catching Robin's hands, he grunted and slipped a little but held on. Slowly he pulled her up; it must take a huge amount of strength and will to do that silently. Terra wasn't very heavy but still.

"No problems I suppose."

"None, lets get out of here."

"Ok."

"What is that?"

"Huh?" Robin looked down through the vent, there was movement bellow.

Robin undid the vent and poked his head through. A figure was striding across the floor towards the case they had just robbed.

"Shit." Robin pulled his head back up. Who ever he his, he just either disabled the security system or he set off every silent alarm between the city limits and the tower.

"We have to go now." Robin hissed as he lunged forward, all pretense of secrecy gone.

Terra silently cursed to herself.

_Why me?_

_You know you like it._

_No._

_You know what else you like?_

_What. _

_Robin's ass._

Terra didn't even think of a response for this quip.


	15. Chapter 15

An ear splitting alarm tore through the tower, shocking the titans from an otherwise undisturbed rest. They were assembled in the common room in less than three minutes.

This was a very fast response considering there had been no alarms like this since Robin had disappeared.

"What is it?" Starfire asked as she appeared sleepy eyed.

"Break in at the museum." Cyborg drew up the plans of the city, a blinking red light showed the position of the alarm. "Silent alarm was tripped almost four minutes ago, in two more the main alarm will go and our sloppy perp will run.

"Right."

"Titans Go." They all said, without Robin it was a halfhearted battle cry.

Robin and Terra burst onto the roof in a dead run. As the two sprinted across the rooftop not caring how many cameras had seen them, alarms were starting to go off through the building. Of course the police had been alerted five minutes ago. Why of all nights must some idiot pick for a smash and grab. Bellow windows and doors slammed hut as the building started to lock down, he must have set of one of the case displays. Good he'll get caught and take the blame for his and our crimes.

Then without warning a fireball cleaved its way through the ground in front of them.

"Fuck!" Robin and Terra skidded to a halt. "Only ten feet from the edge too."

But as the two looked around, there was no one there; no one had shot at them. This blast was internal. Terra grabbed Robin and forced him to follow her around the gapping hole the blast had created. A lone figure jumped out of the hole, carrying a large sack. He was wearing an all black bodysuit, save a death's head mask with a red X inscribed in it.

"You." Robin had stopped short again.

"Move, now is not a good time." Terra hissed and pulled on his arm, but Robin had entered a fighting stance and had no planes on leaving yet.

"I've never seen either of you before but you seem to know me." Red X replied, both seemed to have forgotten about the very real danger that was speeding towards them in the form of three flying teenagers, one of them carrying another non-flying teen. I hadn't planed on running in to anyone else to-night, but as you got her first and took nothing of value thank you." Red X bowed slightly. Then they both were interrupted by a flurry of starbolts and sonic blasts that landed around them. Not striking them, and with no real power but a show of force never the less.

"I would have never expected to see Slade working with Red X but your both coming with us." Cyborg called out to the three as he dropped from Starfire's grip.

"Run!" Was the command that only Robin and Terra heard. Terra obeyed instantly, and even though Red X wasn't party to that order he ran as well. Robin tossed something at Red X before joining Terra in the mad dash for the edge. Cyborg was taken off guard when their unlikely enemies not only didn't fight but also split up, but not for long.

"Star, BB, handle the Sladeys, Raven your with me." The titans broke formation, a hawk Beastboy taking to the skies preparing for a dive, and an enraged Tameranin princess racing forward to meet the unwilling opposition.

Cyborg tried to keep pace with Red X, he really did. Unfortunately the wiry thief still had way to many tricks built into that stolen suit. Every time he started to draw a bead on his target, the suit did something, phase shift or whatever, that made it temporally disappear from his cybernetic eye. X was dodging far too much for Cyborg to him otherwise and on this particular building battle damage had to be avoided at all costs. As such Raven had refrained from pulling any parts of the building apart to use as weapons. Red X must have know this because was running in a circle, leading the two through the twisted maze that was the roof when the police were closing off any exits around the block. Yet still he ran.

I'm sure I passed this point before, no because that this wasn't here the last time, wait a second what is that thing? Cyborg's train of thought only made it that far before the bomb Red X had planted went off. Cyborg was way to close and raise his arm to shield himself from the blast. First all he could feel was a chilling pain through his arm but then he shut off those sensors and tried to regain his bearings. The robotic part of his brain informed him that he was on his back and mainly undamaged, save for a missing right arm. But when he tried to stand he kept losing his balance and falling, and the damn ringing in his human ear wouldn't go away. Raven had been further back and had thrown up a shield to protect herself form flying debris.

"Are you all right Cyborg?" She now rushed forward to help Cyborg stand.

"I'll be fine." Cyborg scanned the area and cursed. "I lost track of him, you."

"No he's gone."

"We better get back to the Sladeys, we can't let them get away."

"Yeah, Sladey?"

"Not Slade, not a Slade bot, a Slade toady, Sladey.

"Right."

Meanwhile Robin and Terra ran across the roof of the neighboring building. They wove back and forth dodging dive bomb attacks by Beastboy and an unhealthy dose of starbots from Starfire.

"Remember, you will not get caught, you will not make any contact and if you have to fight you will and you will win." Slade told the both of them. "Otherwise the pain that you have experience before will be nothing." "Oh and if you don't fight back Robin you will get to watch Terra die first."

"Bastard." Robin mouthed to himself as he ran.

"You will tell me were Robin is." Starfire was talking while she blasted; now adding eye beams to the mix.

"You will also stop and fight me." Se screamed as an unusually large starbolt struck the ground Robin had just occupied. Robin wanted to say something, but remembering Slade's warning he ignored her and jumped the gap to the next set of buildings. Unfortunately they had run three city blocks now and were running out of lower buildings ahead of them to glide to.

"Go to the ground on the next one."

"Understood." Terra rolled to dodge yet another dive from Beastboy, while a hawk the size he was now would cause little or no damage, if Beastboy go his talons on her they would quickly become claws, or worse. Leaping form the three story building they were on now the two would be thieves used their gliders just enough to prevent serious injury upon landing, and then they were off tearing down the silent streets of a slumbering city.

Well not slumbering, Robin and Terra rounded the corner to find a good half of Jump city's police department arrayed before them. Police cruisers blocked the streets before them and officers were all standing weapons drawn and aimed.

"Don't move or you will be fired upon." An unknown voice called out over a loudspeaker. "This is your only warning."

"Don't shoot." Starfire landed between Robin, Terra, and the cruisers. "We want these two alive." Starfire's eyes glowed with an anger Robin had only seen once before, when he had been blackmailed into dancing with Kitten. The remaining titans also caught up and surrounded the two, in a lose semicircle. The police officer in charged waved his hand and the other officers lowered their guns, not holstered just lowered. The man threw Starfire a salute and settled back to watch the city's guardians earn their keep. Starfire nodded and moved to join the other titans, leaving the two between the titans on one side and the Jump city police force on the other. Not having the ability to face so many enemies at once Robin and Terra turned towards the titans.

"Attack them."

"Quiet." Robin hissed at Slade, no one else heard him. Starfire stepped forward.

"I've seen that fighting style before, I thinks that's you Robin." The other titans started, as they hadn't seen this yet. The police couldn't hear them talk.

"I assume you have your reasons, probably good ones, but whatever they are we will be capturing you." She took another step forward.

"Please you and your friend should come quietly with us, or you will be beaten and arrested by the police. We have kept your disappearance to are selves but if we fight I will not promise you anything."

"Attack her now!" Was all that Robin could hear.

"No!" Robin said loud enough for both Slade and Starfire to hear.

At that two screams could be heard. Terra's as she hit the ground withering in pain as electricity surged across her body, and Starfire's. But unlike Terra's, which was a scream of pain, Starfire's was the cry of a lover scorned. She jetted back half a foot and raising her hand began to fire starbolts at Robin. Robin used his staff to block the shots but they were too many. He took a step back and then another, now he was standing in front of Terra. Starfire kept advancing; when she got close enough to punch she did so, Robin kept blocking but was unwilling to move from his position. As she stepped closer Robin took more and more hits. Starfire was pulling her punches; she could have put him through the police cruiser twenty feet away had she wanted. Robin's only weapon against Starfire had been his superior mobility, but now all the skill in the world wouldn't help him, if he didn't force Starfire back she would win and soon.

_I can't hit her she's…_

_Your friend? That never stopped you before._

_No she's more, she's…_

_Is she really? You are now protecting to girls you care for, If you keep this up you will fall. You have to chose which girl is worth everything._

_I can't…_

_You must. Now choose!_

Robin chose.

Starfire hadn't seen it coming, the staff stuck her in the stomach, she pulled back holding her side, but that wasn't the end of her attackers assault. A horizontal swipe caught her across her left temple. She backed up stunned, Robin swung again, using the same move, Starfire flew back enough to avoid the attack and raised her arm to elbow him after he finished his swing. Then she gasped as a blade darted out of the staffs end, throwing of her calculations. Starfire pulled back, but not fast enough, the blade racked across her arm drawing a thin line of blood. The wound wasn't deep but the very fact she was bleeding, that Robin had cut her stunned her. Her second of indecision proved costly as Robin spun the staff behind his back and lashed out with his foot catching her in the chest.

Starfire fell back gasping for air and Robin plunged his staff downwards towards her throat. A collective gasp could be heard as Robin landed a lethal blow. Starfire froze, unknowing to the rest of the world Robin had retracted the blade at the last possible second. The cold steel staff resting lightly on her throat remained Starfire of how close she had come to death and that she stood rested on the brink. Robin pulled the staff back just a little, Starfire was to afraid to move.

Then the standoff ended as Robin was stuck with a telekinetic brick from the left and a sonic pulse from the right. The blasts stuck Robin hurling him backwards, he tripped over Terra who was still behind him, unable to move from the after effects of Slade's "motivation." Cyborg advanced firing, his face a grim mask. If he knew that Starfire still lived he didn't show it. Raven yanked a telephone pole form the ground and hurled it at the two fallen thieves, there was no mistaking her intent to cause mortal harm. Robin no longer was defending himself, but Cyborg showed no signs of stopping. The police officers raised their weapons but did nothing. After all Starfire was still frozen in fear and shock, from their vantage they had just witnessed the death of Titan, death for the masked attacker was to good.

Almost in slow motion Terra watched as Robin took hit after hit, her legs seamed to be working but she couldn't moved, Robin had her pinned. A black bordered telephone pole rose above them and plummeted, obviously attempting to impale them both.

As death raced towards them Terra realized she had never felt so alone and frightened, and helpless. If only she could use her powers.

_I think the time for mopping is over._

_What?_

_Its time to stop following in his shadow, now that he needs your help where are you? Still hiding behind him._

_What can I do?_

_Do what only you can do best._

_But I can't._

_But you must or he will die and you will follow half a second latter._

_How?_

_The question is now but why? Answer the first one and the second will become apparent._

_Why?_

_You know why._

_Because I love him._

"NO!" Terra cried out against the background sounds of sonic blasts. Her cry was unheard but the reaction of the ground was not unnoticed. The pavement shattered and rock flowed up around the two, like a flower closing. The rock absorbed the sonic blasts and started Raven's makeshift spear. Before she could only move whole pieces of rock, she had never caused the stone to flow like that before. No time to think about that, geokinesis was really draining her. She'd had to learn to use her powers all over again, but know she just had to get away, to protect Robin.

The viewers on the outside just stood dumbstruck as the shield of rock rose around the two. Though some longer than others, Cyborg began firing as the sphere of stone shot up into the air, Raven followed suit. A second latter gunfire from the police followed, but the sphere was rising to fast for any of them to track. Then it stopped as quickly as it had ascended. All the firepower from the ground converged on it and the rocky shield shattered into hundreds of first sized rocks, and began to fall. Raven created a black shield shaped like a funnel that caught all the debris and channeled it into the hole in the ground were the two had been. By the time Raven dropped the shield there was no sign of Robin or Terra.

"Robin." Starfire said mainly to herself as she set up, prompting Cyborg and Raven to rush to her side. Beastboy was still staring at the sky, after about half a minute he finally managed a word.

"Terra?"


	16. Chapter 16

Terra of course was long gone; she had grabbed Robin and jumped from her platform as soon as they crested the nearest building. Robin's extra weight had prevented them from truly gliding but the rooftop was only ten feet away. They had made it, barley.

"Come on, you know they will follow." She dragged Robin to his feet. "We have to get out of here."

"Right." Robin brushed her hand off and stood on his own. His knees were shakily from the beating he had just endured but Robin had never been one to show weakness in front of another. "Lets go."

After several minutes of silence Terra decided to breach the subject.

"What happened back there?"

"You saw."

"Not really I was out most of your fight. I saw you and Starfire," Robin shifted uncomfortably123 at the mention of her name. "Then you were being attacked and then…"

"I lost control, I could have killed her."

"But you didn't?"

"No, but I blew any chance for the Titans to ever accept me back."

"You don't know that."

Robin stopped walking and spun around.

"You didn't see the look in their eyes, in her eyes. I may not have killed her but I broke her heart." Robin turned and resumed walking. "I think a better question is how did you do that?"

"Something snapped and I could use all my powers again and more than I've ever had before." Robin cocked his head to one side leaving the question unspoken.

"The way the stone flowed, like a liquid, I could never do that before."

"Speaking of which why are we walking across the rooftops if you can levitate rocks now?"

"Doing that just now drained me, it was like pushing a boulder with just my breath. I'm afraid I'll have to relearn how to use my powers."

"I don't mind helping." Beneath her mask Terra smiled.

"Well this is it." Robin and Terra walked into the old warehouse, this one was owned by a Sandra Wilson. The Wilson family owned a lot of empty warehouses in the city. Robin had come to realize that they were all aliases for Slade. The place was empty, save for a room in the back. As the two went in Slade waited for them, he was standing in front of a staircase leading bellow ground.

"You have it of course."

"Yeah." Terra pulled the amulet out of its pocket and held it in the light. The metal seemed to give off an eerie glow.

"Good, please give it to me." Robin studied Slade for a moment; he was never one to ask for anything.

"You uphold your end first."

"Of course." Slade pressed something on his arm. "The suits will no longer prevent you from removing them." Slade extended his hand. Terra dropped the amulet into it and backed away.

"Thank you for your time and effort." Slade's voice had resumed its normal tone.

"What now?" Slade turned and begain to walk down the stairs.

"I don't care, speak to your friends, go to the police, it doesn't concern me. Your free to go." Slade disappeared as he rounded the staircase and the panel covering the staircase covered it again, leaving the two of them alone.

"I kind of expected him to double cross us."

"I know what you mean, let's get out of here Terra."

"Where will we go?"

"I don't know."

Half an hour latter the two sat in an abandoned building nearby. It had started to rain and they were both tired.

"Robin you don't really think we'll be outlaws for the rest of our lives do you?"

Robin turned form the boarded up window and looked at Terra, she had taken her mask off and was trying to manage her hair. Terra's blond locks got tangled up when she put the mask on.

"I don't know, I really don't know." He walked over to her side. "I've crossed the line before but never this far and never for this long."

"We can still make things right, get the stolen goods back from that thief."

"Red X." Robin corrected her.

"Yeah we get the really expensive stuff back from Red X and then we take the amulet back from Slade. That would make up for what we did right?"

"I don't know, but it's as good a plan as any. We'll have to take Red X first."

"Why."

"Slade probably can turn on these suits whenever he wants. We defiantly have to get out of these before we challenge him."

"It's a shame no special toys, I had gotten use to them."

"We'll get new toys. Cyborg may have built the tower but I installed a backdoor system he doesn't know about. We can get in and get a hold of all of my equipment."

"Taking on Red X, the Titans and Slade seems like a lot."

"We can do it together."

"Yeah together." Terra placed her hand on Robin's shoulder and he groaned slightly. "Robin are you hurt?"

"No this suit protected me from the blunt of the attacks, I'm just a little sore." He still pushed her hand away. Then he sat down with his back to the wall. "We had better get some sleep." Terra sat down beside him.

_If you want to say something you'd best do it now._

_I don't want to say anything; I just want us to be like this forever._

_I'm you. You can't lie to me, no go for it before the rush form earlier wears off and you lose the courage._

_I don't know what you're talking about._

_You know far to well what I mean. What your planning on doing could get you both killed, if one of you were to die would you want him to never know?_

_No._

Then stop talking to yourself and act.

"Robin." He looked up.

"Yes."

"I realize that our course is dangerous."

"All the more reason to get some sleep." He turned away from her.

"No." Terra pulled him back towards her. "Its why I must tell you how I feel before its to late."

"That's… that's fine … uh…really." Robin began to stammer and beneath his mask blush. The same way he had whenever Starfire tried to get romantic. Terra pulled off his mask. The boy wonders face got an ever-redder shade of crimson.

"Robin, I've always liked you but now, I don't ever want to be away from you again, I don't know what I'd do if you were gone. I…I love you." Robin just stared at her for a second.

"But what about Beastboy?"

"I liked him, I had a crush on him, but this is different." She moved in closer. "I wanted him, but I need you." Robin suddenly interrupted her by pulling forward and kissing her. If Terra had anything else to say they were drowned out in the kiss. Terra could fell energy radiating off of him, like she had touched a livewire. His touch was electric but she didn't pull away, no she had never felt better in her whole life. Robin finally pulled away and breathlessly answered her with.

"I feel the same way."

A/N Well I guess your biggest question at this point is why something with enough foul language to half fill a teaspoon is rated M. The next chapter is why. I warn you now the next chapter is a lemon, no the whole lemon tree. The rest of the story can be understood if you skip this next chapter, so if you would find anything of a graphic sexual nature disturbing I suggest you skip it. For the perverts out there who have been waiting for this scene since chapter six enjoy. /A/N 


	17. Chapter 17

A/N WARNING the following chapter is a lemon, if you don't know what that means read erotic fanfic, the following section is highly graphic and sexual. If you are disturbed by this skip this chapter, you wont miss that much. For everyone else enjoy. /A/N 

PS. Correction you will miss a very good scene. Now end A/N 

Terra looked at him her lips spread in a slight smile and her eyes delivering more emotion than Robin had though possible. He had seen that look before but never from any girl directed at him. Starfire had given him mysterious grins when she was flirting, but this look; the closest thing he had ever seen was in the Playboys he kept in his closet, this was pure lust. Terra didn't wait for Robin to finish his line of thought and kissed him again, this time she worked her tongue into his mouth and the two of them fought, back and forth over whose mouth they would mingle in. Robin broke the kiss and stood, pulling Terra up with him. He pulled her close and kissed her again. Terra could feel his hands on her back moving down across her butt. Terra's hands moved with more purpose, undoing the zipper at the back of Robin's neck. Robin looked up.

"Is this what you really want?"

"Tomorrow is never promised and we may not have this chance again. I want you with all my heart and soul."

"Dammed if I became the first guy in history to say no." Robin kissed her again, but this time his lips where on her neck, Terra moaned as she finished undoing the fastenings on Robin's suit. Terra dropped her arms to her side and let Robin slowly slide her jumpsuit off of her arms, as he kissed her lower, across her collarbone. Finding and sliding off the strap of her bra. Robin stopped his downward journey for a moment to allow Terra the chance to slip his arms out of his jumpsuit. Wiggling slightly Terra let the jumpsuit fall to the floor leaving her garbed only in her already half-off bra and her panties. Robin walked forward stepping out of his jumpsuit and pushing her against the wall. Moving his lips to her shoulders Robin finally discovered the trick to unlatching Terra's bra and he let his gaze and his lips fall lower, to Terra's newly uncovered breasts. For a second Robin wished that they were larger, but then his hand and his mouth passed over her soft mounds. These would do just fine, he thought as he ran his tongue around her left nipple and then bit on it ever so lightly.

Robin's touch was electrifying. Terra moaned louder as her began to pull on her rock hard nipples with his teeth. Leaning back against the wall Terra laid her head against his and enjoyed the pleasure he was giving her.

Still using his fingers to cup and squeezes her breasts Robin let his lips dart lower, kissing his way down her chest and across the flat of her stomach. Finally he stopped playing with her breasts as he used his hand to remove her panties. Greeted by a fine, and trimmed pale brush, Robin ran his nose through her hair. This caused Terra to giggle. As she was standing and her legs where closed this ended Robin's trip, he rose still kissing her until he got back to her lips. At the same time running his hand over her, letting his middle finger probe between her slit.

Terra broke their kiss to do some exploring of her own. While she kissed and licked her way across Robin's chest her hands were busy freeing his trapped manhood form the boxers he wore. Which proved to finally require her full attention as they boxers weren't really designed to accommodate him when swelled to full size. Terra's smile grew when she finally saw him "unsheathed" so to speak. Robin wasn't as large as some of her fantasies but no one was that large, right? Considering her small frame Robin would probably take same work to accommodate anyway, but that was a challenge she was looking forward to. Dropping to her knees Terra tentatively kissed Robin's other head and slowly le her mouth engulf the head.

Now Robin let out a moan and ran his fingers though Terra's hair. Her fine blonde hair felt wonderful between his fingers but not nearly as good as the things her tongue was doing further down. Robin slowly pulled her forward, burying more and more of his shaft into her mouth. Terra didn't protest and instead started to massage his balls.

This continued for about fifteen seconds, when Terra pulled away and stood up.

"I want you in me now."

Looking at the rough surface of the wall Robin tossed both of their jumpsuits together and laid Terra on the ground. She spread her legs, acceptingly and they both guided his erect member into her. As Robin pushed inward, Terra suddenly gasped.

"Are you all right?" Robin stopped and started to pull back.

"Yes, I'm fine, please don't stop." Robin plunged himself into her, ignoring the gasp from Terra and the thin trickle of blood that ran out of her as he tore past her virginity.

What Terra had assumed would be a tight fit easily was accepted into her. Perhaps those things people do with vegetables are easier than they look.

Robin kissed her again and she simply let go of conscience thought for a moment letting herself be washed away in the pleasure.

"Deeper, you need to go deeper." Robin complied picking up the pace of his thrusts and further spreading Terra's legs. So good he thought as he felt his balls slap against her with each thrust.

Unexpectedly to Robin, Terra pushed him back some and rolled over on top of him. Now seated on top of his manhood she rearranged herself and began to pick herself up and impale herself on Robin's member. Robin placed his hands on her waist helping to lift her up and guiding her downward thrusts, as he thrust upwards to meet her halfway. As Robin helped her bring their thrusts up to a fever pitch he could tell that he couldn't keep this up much longer.

_Must think un-horny thoughts, must think un-horny thoughts. Only got to hold a few more minutes._

At this rate you wont even make it one.

Terra was looking down on Robin's smiling form. He was breathing heavily, like he was supporting a huge load. She hoped she wasn't to blame for his apparent distress. Then all of her thoughts were interrupted by a tidal wave of pleasure. She hadn't been prepared for just how powerful her first true orgasm would be. Terra cried out and as her eyes rolled up, she looked over her back. In fact she bent backwards, almost creating an upside down U with her spine.

Robin watching this decided this was as good a time as any and renewed his thrusting as he had before, Terra had stopped completely so Robin had to lift her up. At that he felt it surging inside of him and pulled her free of his cock as it erupted. Spewing warm white semen all over Terra's stomach.

At that exact moment Terra was too far gone to care, this was better than anything she had ever felt, probably better than any drug that exist too. Then as suddenly as this wave of pure energy had come and crested, it receded. Terra slumped over on top of Robin.

Robin was vaguely aware of how sticky they would be if they didn't attempt to clean up anything, but at that moment nothing in the world could convince him of a need to move the smiling beauty that lay on him, any mess was worth the feel of her petal soft skin against his. Robin smiled back as Terra silently mouthed

"Thank you." Then as the adrenaline wore off and the fact that it was almost five in the morning caught up with the two and they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	18. Chapter 18

Robin awoke as sunlight filtering in from the boarded windows shined in his eyes.

He turned his head to the side trying to block out the light. The warm pressure he felt on top of him, told him Terra hadn't moved. Judging from his proximity to the window it must be around eleven. Groaning slightly Robin looked at Terra, she was slightly shorter than him so her check rested on the base of his neck. Then Terra started to move; Robin's movements had awakened her as well. Terra shifted her body so that she could look into Robin's eyes. Her eyes were encrusted with sleep, and her hair had fallen all over her face. Robin brushed a lock that was blocking her eyes aside.

"Morning." Terra just smiled containing a slight laugh; she kissed him then sat up. As she stood Robin followed suit. "Oww, now I realize how uncomfortable this floor is." Robin rotated his head and arms trying to crack the stiffness out of his joints.

"Speak for yourself, I feel wonderful." Terra looked herself over trying to wipe the dried cum off of her midsection.

"You look like you could use a shower."

"I bet we both could, any chance the water still works here."

"Probably not." Robin reached down and began to dress himself.

"Wait your going to put that back on?"

"It's contained worse spills and smells, why?"

"I mean your going to risk not being able to remove that jumpsuit?"

"We have to wear something and I this is what I hope it is we won't need to wear this much longer." Robin tossed an object to Terra. It looked like a palm Pilot but as Terra flipped it over and took in the map in her hands she realized what it was.

"You managed to track him?"

"Looks like it. Signal only went dead half an hour ago, he may still be there."

"This isn't far, we can make it without being spotted."

"You couldn't levitate us?"

"Sorry I don't think I can right now. "

"Well let's go catch us a thief."

"Couldn't think of a better thing to do." As Terra zipped up her jumpsuit and pulled the mask over her head she could think of several things that she would rather do, but this was probably going to be their best chance at redeeming themselves after last night.

The man who had become Red X quickly packed. He had discovered and destroyed the tracking device about an hour ago. His only hope no was to be free of the area, and destroy any evidence, before his pursuers found him. How could he have been so stupid not to check before returning? He had stayed and watched part of the fight between the two unknowns and the Titans. He had been so elated and a little disappointed that no one had even looked for him after he ditched Cyborg. I won't be caught unaware next time, he thought to himself as he finished packing this particular box. All that was left to do was pour the fuel and set the charge, then his current alias would perish in a botched attempt at arson for insurance. Returning to his desk he sat and began to run the auto delete functions. Something caught his attention, the motion sensor in the other room had gone off, he didn't leave the internal security system on while he was home, but the monitors were still active. Someone was here, someone good enough to avoid tripping the exterior sensors. The sensor just outside his door went off, he griped a throwing weapon, one of Robin's intake originals, and pretended to tinker with it. As this intruder was already looking at his back there was nothing to be gained from diving for cover, but much to be gained if the attacker thought they had surprise on their hands.

Robin stopped when he saw the man that was Red X, he looked familiar but Robin couldn't place him. Didn't matter anyway, with his hand he signaled Terra to circle around on the edge of the room. After that Robin started forward, taking care not to make a sound as he advanced. The figure had his back turned and was crouched over his desk. Robin stopped out of arms length and signaled Terra to move in. She was almost ninety degrees to Robin's left, just out of the target's view. At this range there was no way he could pull a weapon without being heard so he instead took another step forward.

The soft creaking was the sound that Red X had been waiting for. He spun around slashing with the X shaped throwing star. Robin leaped backwards receiving a large gash in his outfit. The protective material held and he was unhurt, but another slip like that and he'd need to use his hands to keep is guts in. Red X slashed again, and again Robin dodged, this time having at least an inch of room between him and his attacker's weapon.

"Your star's broken." Robin commented as he circled Red X making sure that X kept his back to Terra who was still moving in undetected.

"It's still sharp and you won't survive another hit."

"Always out for blood, we just want the stuff you stole, and your surrender." Terra pulled her staff and began moving in.

"We?" Shit Red X thought there were two of them last night, but where's the other. His silent question was answered as he heard the sound of a springing click. Terra had extended her staff's twin blades, and no was advancing slowly executing a pretty yet deadly plum flower move. Red X spun around about halfway so that he could see each of his attackers out of the corners of his eyes. The momentary distraction had given Robin a chance to draw his staff and Terra was approaching rapidly spinning her bladed staff in a cross X fashion. Damn, and me with no gadgets on me, but I still have an out.

"What could a pair of thieves possibly want?" Red X kept backing up, he was almost there.

"We want to clear are names of wrong doing. They are after us for that robbery."

"You stole something too, I saw your handiwork." Almost.

"No one will miss what we took, besides we'll get that back in time. No do you want to do this the easy way?" Robin took a step forward and towards Terra. "Or my way?"

"You know you really crack me up Robin. Playing the hero even while your dressed as a villain." Red X pretend to stumble as he backed into the workbench, like he had forgotten it was there. Of course that had been his goal all along because no he had palmed the detonator in his free hand. The charges were not set; they were in their box, conveniently right behind Robin and his unknown friend. The fuel was unfortunately behind him but that couldn't be helped. He only needed them to close the distance between each other; they'd make a better shield that way.

"How do you know who I am?" Robin took another step forward and towards Terra. Good.

"I watched some of that fight last night, and you just confirmed my suspicions." Good they were close enough; he flipped the switch on the detonator, turning off the safety.

"I've thought about your offer and I'm going turn you down. I say we do things my way." Red X mashed down the trigger and with a thunderous crack the charges detonated no more than four feet behind Robin and Terra. While they were just primers, there were close to thirty of them and they were in a wooden box. Fireworks in an open hand, results in a burn. But fireworks in a closed hand, well lets just say I hope you don't need that hand anymore. The box shattered and the force of the blast threw Robin and Terra to the ground. Flames began to grow out of the smoldering remains of the boxes that were around that one. It's a shame Red X thought as he sprinted for the door, those where my clothes. Ow well, the stuff I stole is worth more than enough to pay for this damage.

One moment Robin and Red X were talking the next a blast of heat and sound overwhelmed Terra's senses. She felt herself fall and them she could see blackness dancing in front of her and a ringing in her ears. Something must have exploded, she thought, I don't feel hurt but that may mean nothing. Struggling to stand Terra watched Red X grab a bag and head towards the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Terra tossed a double weighted line at the escaping thief. The cord wrapped around his shins and he tripped going down right outside of the door. The smoke was becoming more intense and if she didn't know any better that was gasoline in those barrels in front of her. Finally standing she turned to Robin, he was moving and groaning but not on his feet yet.

"We have to go now." Terra pulled Robin to his feet.

"X?"

"Outside on the ground."

"I have to get something first. Make sure our prey doesn't run off."

"Hurry, those barrels." Terra pointed.

"I see them." Then he was off into a deeper room of the now burning house. Someone had probably called the fire department by now, it was time to leave. Terra found Red X sprawled just outside the door to the room. He looked like he had hit his head in the fall. Terra checked in the bag, yep the priceless relics. Picking up Red X under his shoulders, she hauled him out of the backdoor they had entered from and dropped him behind a concrete shed. After tying him up so he'd still be there by the time the fire department arrived, Terra turned to go get the stuff he stole. Robin walked out at that moment, he was carrying the bag of loot in one hand and had the Red X power suit slung over his shoulder.

"You ready to go?"

"Almost." Robin stopped long enough to place the bag of loot in the unconscious X's hands.

"I swear I recognize him from somewhere."

"Lets leave before someone else recognizes us."

"Right."

As they ran from the scene a massive plume of fire alerted them that the barrels of fuel had just gone up.

At that same moment Beastboy walked into the cavern where Terra had made her final stand. The cave contained only one point of interest, a cliff protruding over what had been a lake of rock. On that cliff a statue stood, the most perfect statue in the whole world in Beastboy's opinion. But today something was wrong, the statue wasn't there. The pedestal the titans had carved still stood, the plaque was still in its proper place. Except the figure of the most beautiful girl in the world (again Beastboy's opinion) wasn't there. All that remained were fragments of stone. Not enough to mean that the statue had broken; these were to thin and fragile. Much like an eggshell. Silently Beastboy cursed himself for not visiting more often; at first he had been her faithfully once a week, then once a month. Now, well the last time he had come to see her it had been over three months ago. Had he paid more attention he would have learned of her resurrection sooner. He could have helped her, now she was back with Slade. Perhaps Slade had used her to corrupt Robin? Beastboy sat down and let a tear run down his cheek, she was back and probably as far away from him as she had been while encased in stone.

"I'm sorry for not being there Terra." His words echoed across the empty cavern, no one answered him.

Well not entirely empty, from the shadows Raven watched him. She had grown used to the attention she received from Beastboy in the time since Terra had left them. Truthfully she wished Terra was back in her stony prison, the girl dissevered it, for everything she had done to them. Last night and the following morning Beastboy had been strangely unresponsive. Even after Robin's loss, he had showed more joy as if only to lighten the others mood. Raven cared about Beastboy though she wouldn't admit to even herself. The prospect of losing him to her was angering. Raven took a deep breath; calm you can't let him know that you followed him.


	19. Chapter 19

"So this is your back door?" Terra and Robin stood in front of a power substation that sat on the mainland, across the bay the tower could be seen, its lighted exterior acting like a beacon in the night.

"Not much but it works." Robin punched in a combination on the keypad and the lock on the chain link fence clicked open. After sealing the gate behind themselves the two hurried over to the door where Robin reinputed his code, then they were in.

"Did you have to choose such an open place for the secret entrance."

"No choice, power and water are the only things that travel that tunnel besides the heavily monitored road bed." Robin popped open a grating inside the small substation interior. "Come on. I'll lead."

"You do know the way, right?"

"Well I only used this route once, but there's only two ways to go. We'll figure it out."

Terra simply gave him a mock groan.

"Robin?" They had been walking down the service corridor of the tunnel for about four minutes now.

"Yeah?"

"What happened when you were with Slade?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Robin we've shared everything else, mind and body. Why won't you tell me?"

"What was your time with Slade like?" Robin spat.

Silence. Terra simply looked hurt. Robin looked back at her and sighed.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I just, I'll tell you someday just not now."

They walked in silence for a few more minutes before Terra spoke up.

"Slade trained me. Taught me to control my powers, but it was weird. Some days he was kind, seemed to really care, loving almost." Terra paused as Robin had stopped and looked hat her strangely. "Yet other days he was cold, brutal and seemed to only care about how strong I was. I don't understand him at all I felt like I owed him for everything but at the same time was afraid of him."

Terra didn't speak after that and Robin was silent for the rest of their journey.

As Robin finished entering his hidden override codes her turned to Terra.

"This will put us in the sub-garage. The T-sub and T-spacer are stored here."

"Security?"

"Should be nothing but passive recording cameras, no one will be watching them this late."

"But they will know we were here?"

"Only if they take time to review the tapes. No motion sensors until we reach the base of the tower."

The two silently traveled across the hanger floor darting between crates to minimize their camera time. Minutes ticked by and they worked their way up into the basement.

"Some of the stuff we need is here, but all the Red X stuff is in a vault upstairs."

"Why do you want the Red X stuff?"

"If we are to take on Slade we'll need more power."

"You have me."

"I'm glad, but you haven't seen Slade's new tricks yet."

"Alright be careful."

"I will. Can you get the contents of lot 47I?" Robin pointed to a section of the warehouse like basement."

"Can do." Terra squeezed his hand and then she was off. Robin watched her disappear between rows of creates and sighed, the faster they left the better. The memories were coming back and Robin feared they would never be welcome here again.

After bypassing the motion detectors Robin was in, there were no sensors in the living area of the tower; at least they weren't turned on at night.

The lower common room was empty, but Robin hadn't expected anyone. Still to be on the safe side he took the stairs. His room was as he had left it so long ago. There were signs that the room had been searched but they had put everything back. Robin took the supplies he needed from his closet as well as a change of street clothes that he hardly ever wore. Of course this was the easy part, the safe were Robin had placed the utility belt he made for Red X was another two floors higher and unlike the living section all the security systems were up twenty four seven. The upper common room was also empty; moonlight over the water illuminated the room and at the same time gave it an unearthly glow. The safe in the back of the titan's 'museum' was still the way he'd left it. If he was luck his code would still work, and if he was unlucky. Well the machine would only accept two wrong tries before locking up for a day.

The box Robin had wanted was full of additional field equipment, food and an extra fully stocked utility belt. Did Robin have hidden caches everywhere? Terra sat the box by their exit and waited, and waited. Robin had told her it would only take him two minutes, now five had passed. Still this gave her time to do something that she needed to do. Old scores had yet to be settled and debts were still owed.


	20. Chapter 20

Raven awoke in a cold sweat. This wasn't like her, sure she'd had more than her fair share of nightmares, but she always could remember them. This was more like a sense of blind terror, a feeling that something was wrong. Raven rolled over in bed and tried to return to sleep. No such luck, she couldn't get comfortable. Sighing she finally got up and tossing on a bathrobe, she wandered off to the kitchen. Tea would help her sleep. As Raven walked to the elevator she passed Robin's room, and stopped. The door was closed as it had been since Robin had turned, no disappeared. Raven refused to believe that he could betray them. Raven had passed this door every day, but now something was different. Nothing tangible, more like an emotional wound. Someone had been in here, recently. As no one was around Raven opened the door and looked around inside. Things were where they had been the last time she had been in Robin's room, well most things, the closet was open. As Raven studied it she realized what was wrong, someone had taken things out of the closet, after the titans had put Robin's room back in order and left it to wait for his return. That had been almost three weeks ago. There was no telling when their intruder had entered, except to go over the security logs. Raven called the elevator and headed up to the security station two floors above, as she was now fully awake, tea could wait.

The door silently slid open. Terra walked into the empty room, her old room. The room was clean and bare; the titans must have cleaned her place up long ago. Terra walked in a circle around the room running her had over the sparse furniture. Letting the memories this place had come back to her. This had been the first place she had felt welcome in so long, and she had forsaken it, for what, petty revenge. That now as she looked back was more Slade's revenge than hers. Terra removed the mask she wore and let it hang down behind her head, covered by her hair. Terra opened up the closet, sure enough the boxes that contained her stuff was all stacked neatly.

Clothes no, more clothes, and more. No, no, no, that's not what I want.

Wait here it is.

Terra pulled down a box marked personal accessories and knickknacks. Inside were the few things that Terra really could call her, her communicator, her butterfly hairpin. Terra picked up the hairpin, no I don't need this anymore, she said to herself as she put it back.

At the bottom of the box she found what she was looking for, the flight goggles she had worn to keep dust out of her eyes, and the silver heart shaped box Beastboy had given her so long ago. Placing the goggles around her neck Terra looked at the box. I must, he deserves this much. Standing Terra placed the box of her former possessions back into the closet and turned to the door, gathering the will to go through with what she had planed.

That was odd the security station was open. Raven walked in and called up the logs of the tower, looking for recent movement. Could the intruder have been here as recently as early as tonight? Could they be here now? No that wasn't possible she could sense danger as well as unfamiliar thoughts, tonight all she could sense was her friends. Then something caught her eye, movement outside of Beastboy's room. It certainly wasn't like him to be up this late at night, or this early in the morning if you look at that way. Switching to the camera over his door Raven watched as a very familiar blonde, dressed in a very familiar costume placed something in front of his door and then backed away. Raven switched cameras watching Terra head downstairs to the garage. Raven debated hitting the alarm and letting the girl run. No she would take care of this herself, Raven still had somewhat of a grudge against Terra. As she turned to go movement caught her eye and she spun to find herself face to face with the other masked attacker from last night, Robin.

If it was Robin he was carrying the belt that went with Red X over one shoulder. In his hands he had a box of something or other.

"Don't move. I'm a lot more dangerous than I look."

The masked figure said nothing, not that he could do anything, his hands were full.

"Robin is that you?"

"Hello Raven."

"Why?" Robin simply looked at her.

"Why are you breaking in now to steal of all things that belt? And why are you with her?"

"A lot has happened I'm trying to make it right."

"Then come back, we miss you, Starfire misses you."

"I…I can't, not until I right the wrongs that I have done, then I'll seek your forgiveness."

"We forgive you, Slade manipulated you, we still trust you."

"I wouldn't trust me or forgive me in your shoes."

"Be glad then that you're not in my place and me in yours."

"Will you stop me?" Robin took a step forward, he was still caring all that stuff and basically helpless.

"Why are you with Terra, and why us she with Slade."

"She's not with Slade, and neither am I anymore. We only have ourselves now, and each other."

"You two?"

"Can I go?" he cut her off.

"Will you come back?"

"I don't know."

"Go. But…"

"Tell Star I'm sorry for everything."

Robin walked past her and was gone. Raven just stood there for a moment taking in what had happened.

"We got shut out of your life before, and you're right I don't trust you that much." Raven said to herself as she picked up the tracking monitor that went with the device she had telekinetically planted on Robin.

When Robin returned to the entrance of their secret tunnel Terra was already their waiting.

"Your late." She picked up the box she was to carry.

"I see you did a little exploring of your own."

"Had to tie up some lose ends too."

The two started down the tunnel in silence until Robin felt the need to speak up.

"Terra, before, I didn't mean to snap. I'm sorry."

"You apologized earlier too. I still forgive you. You had a harder time than I did."

" I only spent four days with Slade." Robin begun. "At when I wasn't on one mission or another for him, he tried to break me, almost succeeded too." Robin toke a deep breath. "At first he was violent, I got many of those scars you saw from him. I thought it would get much worse, but then he changed. Stopped with the violent stuff. He still had his ways, messing with your senses and preventing you from sleeping, that kind of stuff. Our conversations changed, it was like he was no longer trying to break me and rebuild me as his little solider but instead like he was grooming me to take over for him." Robin sighed.

"I think I hated him more for all the things he said then what he did, those physical scars can heal but, I almost cracked saw the world the way he wanted. I wonder if I didn't win that battle and every fight I've had with him since is just a continuation of that battle."

"You won."

"How do you know?"

"The way I've seen you act, you've never sunk to his level."

"You didn't see how he captured me."

"I don't, but it would make no difference, because I know you. Anything that you can sink to is unfortunate but what makes a person is not how far they can fall but how high they can soar."

"I love you."

"Huh?"

"I never said it before, I should have but I didn't. I'm sure you know but your right about everything. Even the parts I didn't understand."

Terra reached over and kissed him. Then the two continued their walk towards the mainland.

Raven flipped through the channels on the television. Her encounter with Robin had left her far to awake to go back to sleep. She flipped by a 24-hour news network then stopped, the thief that stole the things in the museum last night had been found with his stolen artifacts by his burring house. Robin perhaps?

"What are you doing up?" Raven turned around to see Beastboy coming into the room.

"Couldn't sleep." She half lied. "You?"

"Same."

"What's in your hands?" Beastboy quickly stuffed the small object he had been carrying into a pocket.

"Nothing." Raven had an idea of what it was but left it at that.

Beastboy sat down in the kitchen after pouring himself a glass of soymilk. He needed some time to think about what he had found outside of his door, it was the silver box he had given Terra. Inside was a note, Beastboy had read it twice and he still didn't want to grasp what it was saying. The note only had one sentence on it 'Sorry for everything.'


	21. Chapter 21

The warehouse was empty, but Robin had guessed as much. The back room was empty too.

"There must be a hidden trigger or something." Robin said as he felt around the panel they had seen Slade disappear into the day before.

"You know, sometimes finesse is not the best option. Stand back." Terra walked up to the wall her hands and eyes blazing with a power she had not used in a while. The wall before her shattered and crumbled to the ground. As the dust settled only a barren rock face presented itself.

"I think you made it worse."

"No, I got this, let me try again." This time Terra closed her eyes and reached out feeling the wall letting her conciseness seep into the rock face, she could feel the empty spots. Further, further, there, a tunnel bored into the bedrock. Terra could sense just how far the tunnel ran and how far the blockage ran. Opening her eyes Terra focused her power on the rock in question and it began to liquefy, the stone flowed away from the tunnel like water before a high wind. She let the rock pool and solidify around the rooms edges. Robin made a note not to touch the liquid rock, it didn't feel hot, but then again rock isn't supposed to do that. When the way was finally clear Terra dropped to her knees breathing deeply.

"Are you are right?" Robin asked as he helped her to her feet.

"Yeah I'm fine, just 'pant' a little, 'pant' winded. I wish you wouldn't wear that." Terra commented about the mask he wore.

"Maybe around you I'll take it off but not around Slade or anyone else." Robin had changed into his normal costume, complete with his normal eye-covering mask. The only thing he had kept from Slade's ensemble was the Bo-staff with the double blades hidden in each end. Terra was now wearing the Red X suit, minus the headgear, as her abilities were so immediately recognizable there was no reason to hide her identity. She now regretted not keeping the hairpin, as her hair kept falling in front of her eyes whenever she bent over. The flight goggles she wore helped a little but they weren't made to keep hair away, just dust.

"Down the gloomy staircase then?" Terra asked clearly knowing the answer.

"No, down the well lit, but still creepy staircase." Robin said pulling out a palm light.

Terra had sensed earlier that this staircase went down quite a ways, but as she walked it she realized that her sense in rock were distorted. After about ten minutes of walking down the twisting stairs the found themselves in an open chamber.

"Looks ancient." Terra commented as she walked around the perimeter. Placing a had on the rock face and widening her perceptions Terra could feel the age of this place. It was old, far older than any building in the city itself.

"Over here."

"What is it?"

"Looks like an alter of sorts." Terra hadn't seen this part when they walked in, the chamber had a set of stairs about halfway trough the room that prevented you from seeing the "alter." Two larger than life size statues flanked a raised platform. Each statue was cloaked and had four slits for eyes, they each held a sword. But what Robin's eyes were drawn to was the figure behind the alter and statues. A huge stone throne was caved into the wall, seated bellow it a simpler chair was seated, Slade was sitting in the chair.

"Hello Robin, Terra. You made quite a noise coming here."

"We want the necklace back Slade." Slade rose at that and seemed to smile beneath his mask.

"Now why would you want that child?" He started to walk forwards to them, they were still on the stairs. Robin pulled out the staff he had kept from Slade, spinning it around with blades out menacingly.

"To right what is wrong." Slade continued to walk forward, right to the edge of the steps. As they were still climbing them backing up wasn't an option. Slade pulled the silver trinket from some hidden pocket.

"You want this?" Dangling the trinket in front of him he walked up to Terra and dropped it. Terra grabbed it out of the air rather than let it fall.

"Do you know why I wanted you to take this?"

"No, but I wondered."

"Of course you did, after all why all of that to take a little amulet? Because it's cursed."

"What do you mean?" Terra's voice had lost its previous venom.

"Oh you don't need to worry anymore, the curse only effects those who steal it, and lasts until they give it away."

"Anyway I have used it already and have no need of it anymore. But wait there's something else you want." Slade turned around and sat down at the edge of the platform. "You have questions to ask and…" Slade stopped, at first Robin and Terra didn't know why, but then they heard it. Slade was sniffing the air, he stood and walked up to the two, lowering his head the way a dog would do and sniffing.

"I smell something, something's different. It's you Terra, you smell different somehow." Terra stumbled, as he got closer to her.

"Keep away from her you monster!" Robin growled.

"Yes that's it you smell somehow tarnished, some how less pure than you were before." He fell backwards seating himself on the alter.

"Your not a virgin anymore." Terra was shocked that he could merely know by smelling her. "Wow, I wouldn't have wished that on you ever. Robin you probably deserve it but Tara? Why Robin?"

"What are you talking about?"

"In all your time together you never wondered about the color of your eyes?"

"We're not related, I looked into it." Robin did not like the way Slade's line of inquiry was going.

"Did you really? Tara, I'm sorry for not mentioning this earlier."

"My name is Terra." Slade simply sighed and reached up to his mask.

"Robin, you didn't get your blue eyes from Tara, and Tara, you didn't get yours from him." Slade removed his mask, they both gasped the realization of what he was saying him them. Slade's face was pale, like it hadn't seen the sun in ages. His hair was white and balding. The eye that his mask covered was covered, still by an eye patch. But the most distinctive feature of the villain's face was his single good eye. It was blue, the same cerulean blue as Terra and Robin's. "You both got them from me."


	22. Chapter 22

"No." Robin had been thinking along that line since Slade had started asking questions, but to here it from him. "That's not possible." That couldn't be right, that monster couldn't be his father. Worse yet, as he thought about it, that would make Terra, his sister.

"Not only is it possible it's very true. I didn't know about you Robin, I don't know your birth name and don't really care either. What shames me is that my actions have brought Tara to where she is now."

"My Name Is Terra!"

"No, you were born Tara Wilson to myself and the most beautiful women in the world." Without his mask on Slade seamed to just pour emotion. "Sadly she died in childbirth. With my family fortune denied to me for marrying her, I did what I thought best and placed you up for adoption. The Markovs adopted you when you were three days old. They called you Terra but if you had ever asked your dad about your birth certificate." His voice trailed off.

"No my parents were Lisa and…"

"Say what you want girl, it does not make it true."

"And me?" Robin asked breathlessly, he had never known about his parentage and wanted to know more than ever now.

"You, you are a classic example of why booze and hookers do not belong a bachelor parties." Robin looked like he was going to kill Slade, if he didn't die of embarrassment first. "I didn't even know I had a son until I saw you unmasked and had a DNA test done. I wanted you as an apprentice because you had all the qualities that I admired in myself."

"Your wrong, I'm nothing like you." Slade just laughed.

"We've had this discussion before Robin, the reason I can always outthink you is because I think like you."

"Why?" Terra fell to her knees still reeling from the shock.

"Why what? Why tell you now, or why not tell you earlier?" He didn't wait for Terra to clarify. "I've regretted giving you up for a long time now, I've been I your life since you were seven."

"I never saw you."

"You didn't, do you remember your seventh birthday. I man in the park gave you balloons and wished you well, but when you showed mommy she took them away and told you not to talk to strangers." Terra gasped, she vaguely remembered. "Or how about when you ran away from home, you were thirteen and were taken in by a kind man who feed you. You feel asleep after that, he drugged you. Do you remember the next day; he was all beat up and told you that you had to leave. You cried and then left not knowing what to do, what you didn't know is how close you came to being raped and murdered like the six other girls he had "taken in"." At this point Terra was just staring.

"I though about revealing myself to you, but I decided the shock would not be good for you. The day you killed me I was going to tell you, after you had killed the Titans of course. With you Robin I had no desire more than you to become a willing servant, Terra you would have succeeded my empire." He sighed then slowly reattached his mask. "But that is all past, the world will end and there's nothing that can be done. Had you killed that bitch when I ordered it we wouldn't need to have this painful little chat."

"Who and what do you mean by the end of the world?"

"Ask Raven, on both counts. Now go you have what you wanted." He turned to leave.

"You're not going anywhere Slade." Robin's voice had regained its previous menace.

"You're threatening me, I should be pounding you for deflowering my daughter."

"Monster!"

"This from the boy who fucked his own sister."

"Bastard." Robin lashed outward with his staff putting ever bit of anger he could into this strike, it caught Slade full across the head, his neck snapped and spun. Slade's head was no at an extremely awkward and very lethal position.

"No Robin that would be you." Slade snapped his neck back into position. Robin screamed a war cry and came in again. This time Slade grabbed the staff and in a display of superhuman power tossed Robin backwards into Terra, both of them tumbled down the steps.

"Now I must be going, have a nice life." At that Slade vanished in a plume of fire.

Terra pushed Robin off of her and stood up offering him her hand. He just sat there, tears streaming down from underneath his mask. Terra sat beside him and gingerly removed his mask, he didn't stop her. She kissed him but he broke off.

"No, we mustn't it wrong."

"Was it wrong last night?"

"No, I mean yes, we just didn't know."

"Robin I've done horrible things in my life, so have you. Loving you is not one of them; I don't care if this is wrong I need you, more than ever now. Its possible Slade is lying it wouldn't be the first." She kissed him again deeply, he had stopped crying at this point.

"I had a father, so did you, Slade was not him in either case. Lets get out of here and figure out what to do with the rest of our lives, together."

"Together?"

"Yes."

As they mounted the staircase, Terra's mind was reeling.

I was raised a good catholic girl why am I doing this?

Because it's what's right.

Right, this isn't right. Wait I thought you were my higher being or whatever.

I'm your heart. My advice is to, one never have kids, and two never stop loving him.

Smiling she let Robin take her hand as they ascended to the world above. Walking out of the staircase into the warehouse only to be greeted by a far to familiar sight, the rest of the Teen Titans, in combat positions.


	23. Chapter 23

"I see you followed us Raven." Robin told the sorceress, she dropped from the air but didn't lower her guard.

"We want answers and we want them now."

"It's a long story." Terra began.

"And a complicated one." Robin finished.

"Then start at the beginning, don't we, I, disserve as much?" Starfire asked, she had landed and her fists and eyes no longer glowed with power. But she was clearly on her guard.

"Well." Robin began, "You were right, it was trap."

"We tried to tell you, you were exposed to more of Slade's reagent. This one made you paranoid of anything you hear."

"I…I didn't know."

"And her?" Raven said accusingly, while staring at Terra.

"Slade revived me, he captured me I hadn't been able to use my powers until yesterday." Terra left out the specifics but everyone knew.

"He held us, had Robin train me and then sent us to take this." Terra withdrew the amulet. The other titans looked at the small thing quizzically. Raven gasped and stepped back.

"Wait after all of this you took only that and then got it back? Is it just me or are we missing something." Cyborg scratched his head.

"That gem, it's cursed."

"Slade told us when he returned it."

"But that's not the talisman of Scath. It's a fake."

"Talisman of what?"

"Nothing." Raven regained her composure and attempted to cover her momentary shock.

"Enough of this, come with us to the tower. It is late and we can continue this talk over breakfast after we have had sleep."

Terra and Robin both exchanged glances, both thinking about how awkward it would be to return to the tower.

"Sorry Starfire, I can't come back. Not yet anyway."

"But we forgive you, Slade was controlling you, it was not of your free will. And we decided to forgive Terra for previous sins almost a year ago."

"If anyone else was under Slade's control and did evil they would be punished, and while everyone disserves second chances, do they disserve a third?"

"If you are talking about yourself then yes they disserve a third."

"I thought capturing Red X and recovering that item from Slade would make things better but it doesn't."

"Terra?" Beastboy asked.

"Where ever Robin goes I'll follow."

"Are you two…"

"It's complicated." Terra cut him off.

"Then the box."

"I meant what I said."

Beastboy stepped back into the shadows quietly as if he was trying to shrink into nothingness.

"Guys if you won't come back with us we'll have to take you in." Cyborg changed his hand into a cannon once again, he didn't aim it yet.

"I'm really sorry about all of this, I truly am, but that is something I can't allow."

Robin spun out one of his Bo-staffs, the normal kind not the bladed ones, and Terra opened her hands now pulsing with a golden glow.

"Is there no other way?" Starfire raised herself into the air and rekindled her starbolts.

"Yes there is." Terra answered, "you could let us escape."

"Can't let you do that." Raven now gathered her powers to herself.

"It wasn't a request." Suddenly the ground swayed like Jello, tossing everyone off balance. Everyone but Robin and Terra, they were sitting in the center of the storm. Waves of earth raised the two into the air and through a whole in the roof. Starfire and Raven flew after them but rock seamed to flow up and block their attempts. By the time they had blown through the now devastated warehouse, the two were gone.

Terra stood atop of the tallest building in the city, her hair whipped around her as the wind buffeted her. Robin stood beside her, his cape billowing behind him.

"What will we do now?"

"I don't know Terra, turn away from helping others live normal lives."

"You'd have to give up Robin and be yourself." She out her arms around his shoulders and held him tight.

"We could become vigilantes, not quite heroes, or villains."

"That would put us at odds with the titans. Look I don't care what we do as long as we're together."

"Do you think they would take us back?"

"They would have before."

"Do you think we disserve it?"

"I don't know. We'll figure something out."

Robin turned around and the two kissed as the sun begin to rise.

Fin

A/N Well how did you like it? Feedback and or flames would be welcome. I don't know if I'm satisfied with the final two chapters what do you think? /A/N 


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